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Magnetic resonance has become a first-line imaging modality in various clinical scenarios. The number of patients with different cardiovascular devices, including cardiac implantable electronic devices, has increased exponentially. Although there have been reports of risks associated with exposure to magnetic resonance in these patients, the clinical evidence now supports the safety of performing these studies under specific conditions and following recommendations to minimize possible risks. This document was written by the Working Group on Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Cardiac Computed Tomography of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC-GT CRMTC), the Heart Rhythm Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC-Heart Rhythm Association), the Spanish Society of Medical Radiology (SERAM), and the Spanish Society of Cardiothoracic Imaging (SEICAT). The document reviews the clinical evidence available in this field and establishes a series of recommendations so that patients with cardiovascular devices can safely access this diagnostic tool. Full English text available from: www.revespcardiol.org/en.

Aims To assess the progression of the disease and evolution of the main echocardiographic variables for quantifying AS in patients with severe low-flow low-gradient (LFLG) AS compared to other severe AS subtypes. Methods and results Longitudinal, observational, multicenter study including consecutive asymptomatic patients with severe AS (aortic valve area, AVA < 1.0 cm²) and normal left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF ≥ 50%). Patients were classified according to baseline echocardiography into: HG (high gradient; mean gradient ≥ 40 mmHg), NFLG (normal-flow low-gradient; mean gradient < 40 mmHg, indexed systolic volume (SVi) > 35mL/m2), or LFLG (mean gradient < 40 mmHg, SVi ≤ 35 mL/m²). AS progression was analyzed by comparing patients’ baseline measurements and their last follow-up measurements or those taken prior to aortic valve replacement (AVR). Of the 903 included patients, 401 (44.4%) were HG, 405 (44.9%) NFLG, and 97 (10.7%) LFLG. Progression of the mean gradient in a linear mixed regression model was greater in low-gradient groups: LFLG vs. HG (regression coefficient 0.124, P = 0.005) and NFLG vs. HG (regression coefficient 0.068, P = 0.018). No differences were observed between the LFLG and NFLG groups (regression coefficient 0.056, P = 0.195). However, AVA reduction was slower in the LFLG group compared to the NFLG (P < 0.001). During follow-up, in conservatively-managed patients, 19.1% (n = 9) of LFLG patients evolved to having NFLG AS and 44.7% (n = 21) to having HG AS. In patients undergoing AVR, 58.0% (n = 29) of LFLG baseline patients received AVR with a HG AS. Conclusion LFLG AS shows an intermediate AVA and gradient progression compared to NFLG and HG AS. The majority of patients initially classified as having LFLG AS changed over time to having other severe forms of AS, and most of them received AVR with a HG AS.

Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), European Regional Development Fund/European Social Fund "A way to make Europe"/" Investing in your future" [PI18/0004, PI20/0320, PT17/0015/0043]; ISCIII; MCIN; Pro-CNIC Foundation; Severo Ochoa Centers of Excellence program [CEX2020-001041-S]; ISCIII [CM20/00101], Frutos F. de, Ochoa JP, Navarro-Peñalver M, Baas A, Bjerre JV, Zorio E, Méndez I, Lorca R, Verdonschot JAJ, García-Granja PE, Bilinska Z, Fatkin D, Fuentes-Cañamero ME, García-Pinilla JM, García-Álvarez MI, Girolami F, Barriales-Villa R, Díez-López C, Lopes LR, Wahbi K, García-Álvarez A, Rodríguez-Sánchez I, Rekondo-Olaetxea J, Rodríguez-Palomares JF, Gallego-Delgado M, Meder B, Kubanek M, Hansen FG, Restrepo-Córdoba MA, Palomino-Doza J, Ruiz-Guerrero L, Sarquella-Brugada G, Perez-Perez AJ, Bermúdez-Jiménez FJ, Ripoll-Vera T, Rasmussen TB, Jansen M, Sabater-Molina M, Elliot PM, Garcia-Pavia P; European Genetic Cardiomyopathies Initiative Investigators

Background: Patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) may develop adverse outcomes even in the absence of mitral regurgitation or left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Purpose: To investigate the prognostic value of mitral annulus disjunction (MAD) and myocardial fibrosis at late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac MRI in patients with MVP without moderate-to-severe mitral regurgitation or LV dysfunction. Materials and Methods: In this longitudinal retrospective study, 118 144 cardiac MRI studies were evaluated between October 2007 and June 2020 at 15 European tertiary medical centers. Follow-up was from the date of cardiac MRI examination to June 2020; the minimum and maximum follow-up intervals were 6 months and 156 months, respectively. Patients were excluded if at least one of the following conditions was present: cardiomyopathy, LV ejection fraction less than 40%, ischemic heart disease, congenital heart disease, inflammatory heart disease, moderate or worse mitral regurgitation, participation in competitive sport, or electrocardiogram suggestive of channelopathies. In the remainder, cardiac MRI studies were reanalyzed, and patients were included if they were aged 18 years or older, MVP was diagnosed at cardiac MRI, and clinical information and electrocardiogram monitoring were available within 3 months from cardiac MRI examination. The end point was a composite of adverse outcomes: sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT), sudden cardiac death (SCD), or unexplained syncope. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed. Results: A total of 474 patients (mean age, 47 years ± 16 [SD]; 244 women) were included. Over a median follow-up of 3.3 years, 18 patients (4%) reached the study end point. LGE presence (hazard ratio, 4.2 [95% CI: 1.5, 11.9]; P = .006) and extent (hazard ratio, 1.2 per 1% increase [95% CI: 1.1, 1.4]; P = .006), but not MAD presence (P = .89), were associated with clinical outcome. LGE presence had incremental prognostic value over MVP severity and sustained VT and aborted SCD at baseline (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.70 vs 0.62; P = .03). Conclusion: In contrast to mitral annulus disjunction, myocardial fibrosis determined according to late gadolinium enhancement at cardiac MRI was associated with adverse outcome in patients with mitral valve prolapse without moderate-to-severe mitral regurgitation or left ventricular dysfunction.

The aim of this collaborative document is to provide an update for clinicians on best antithrombotic strategies in patients with aortic and/or peripheral arterial diseases. Antithrombotic therapy is a pillar of optimal medical treatment for these patients at very high cardiovascular risk. While the number of trials on antithrombotic therapies in patients with aortic or peripheral arterial diseases is substantially smaller than for those with coronary artery disease, recent evidence deserves to be incorporated into clinical practice. In the absence of specific indications for chronic oral anticoagulation due to concomitant cardiovascular disease, a single antiplatelet agent is the basis for long-term antithrombotic treatment in patients with aortic or peripheral arterial diseases. Its association with another antiplatelet agent or low-dose anticoagulants will be discussed, based on patient’s ischaemic and bleeding risk as well therapeutic paths (e.g. endovascular therapy). This consensus document aims to provide a guidance for antithrombotic therapy according to arterial disease localizations and clinical presentation. However, it cannot substitute multidisciplinary team discussions, which are particularly important in patients with uncertain ischaemic/bleeding balance. Importantly, since this balance evolves over time in an individual patient, a regular reassessment of the antithrombotic therapy is of paramount importance.

Dilatació aòrtica; Aneurisma de l'aorta ascendent; Anàlisi espai-temporal Dilatación aórtica; Aneurisma de la aorta ascendente; Análisis espacio-temporal Aortic dilation; Ascending aorta aneurysm; Spatiotemporal analysis Motivated by the evidence that the onset and progression of the aneurysm of the ascending aorta (AAo) is intertwined with an adverse hemodynamic environment, the present study characterized in vivo the hemodynamic spatiotemporal complexity and organization in human aortas, with and without dilated AAo, exploring the relations with clinically relevant hemodynamic and geometric parameters. The Complex Networks (CNs) theory was applied for the first time to 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) velocity data of ten patients, five of them presenting with AAo dilation. The time-histories along the cardiac cycle of velocity-based quantities were used to build correlation-based CNs. The CNs approach succeeded in capturing large-scale coherent flow features, delimiting flow separation and recirculation regions. CNs metrics highlighted that an increasing AAo dilation (expressed in terms of the ratio between the maximum AAo and aortic root diameter) disrupts the correlation in forward flow reducing the correlation persistence length, while preserving the spatiotemporal homogeneity of secondary flows. The application of CNs to in vivo 4D MRI data holds promise for a mechanistic understanding of the spatiotemporal complexity and organization of aortic flows, opening possibilities for the integration of in vivo quantitative hemodynamic information into risk stratification and classification criteria. Open access funding provided by Politecnico di Torino within the CRUI-CARE Agreement.

Aims: Genotype and left ventricular scar on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) are increasingly recognized as risk markers for adverse outcomes in non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). We investigated the combined influence of genotype and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in assessing prognosis in a large cohort of patients with DCM. Methods and results: Outcomes of 600 patients with DCM (53.3 ± 14.1 years, 66% male) who underwent clinical CMR and genetic testing were retrospectively analysed. The primary endpoints were end-stage heart failure (ESHF) and malignant ventricular arrhythmias (MVA). During a median follow-up of 2.7 years (interquartile range 1.3–4.9), 24 (4.00%) and 48 (8.00%) patients had ESHF and MVA, respectively. In total, 242 (40.3%) patients had pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (positive genotype) and 151 (25.2%) had LGE. In survival analysis, positive LGE was associated with MVA and ESHF (both, p < 0.001) while positive genotype was associated with ESHF (p = 0.034) but not with MVA (p = 0.102). Classification of patients according to genotype (G+/G−) and LGE presence (L+/L−) revealed progressively increasing events across L−/G−, L−/G+, L+/G− and L+/G+ groups and resulted in optimized MVA and ESHF prediction (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). Hazard ratios for MVA and ESHF in patients with either L+ or G+ compared with those with L−/G− were 4.71 (95% confidence interval: 2.11–10.50, p < 0.001) and 7.92 (95% confidence interval: 1.86–33.78, p < 0.001), respectively. Conclusion: Classification of patients with DCM according to genotype and LGE improves MVA and ESHF prediction. Scar assessment with CMR and genotyping should be considered to select patients for primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement, This work was supported by grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) (PI18/0004, PI19/01283, PI20/0320). (Co-funded by European Regional Development Fund/European Social Fund ‘A way to make Europe’/‘Investing in your future’). The Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, the Hospital Clinic, the Hospital Vall d’Hebron, the Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón and the Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca are members of the European Reference Network for rare, low-prevalence, and complex diseases of the heart (ERN GUARD-Heart). The CNIC is supported by the ISCIII, MCIN, the Pro-CNIC Foundation, and the Severo Ochoa Centers of Excellence program (CEX2020-001041-S). Conflict of interest: none declared

Left ventricular noncompaction is a poorly defined and controversial entity, with wide phenotypic expression: from a simple anatomical trait to a disease with overt cardiac affection. Current diagnostic criteria rely exclusively on morphologic features of hypertrabeculation, which have low specificity for identifying true cardiomyopathy cases. The management of left ventricular noncompaction is also heterogeneous, and there are no dedicated clinical practice guidelines. The most common cardiovascular complications are heart failure, ventricular arrhythmias, and systemic embolisms. In this review, we discuss the diagnostic limitations of the available criteria, and propose a comprehensive alternative approach (including functional imaging variables, tissue characterization, genetics, and family screening) that may help in the differential diagnosis of hypertrabeculation cases. We also describe the genetic background of the disease and discuss the overlap with other cardiomyopathies. Finally, we focus on controversial issues in clinical management and suggest the use of the previously-mentioned variables for risk stratification and for individualization of patient follow-up.

Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author(s) 2019. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com., Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has become one of the main imaging techniques for the diagnosis and prognostic stratification of the different cardiovascular diseases. Proof of this is the growing interest in training in this imaging technique which was evident in the past EuroCMR 2019 where 1379 specialists (26.5% more than in the previous edition) met in Lido (Venice) to discuss the latest scientific advances in the CMR field. In this review, we will discuss the most recent research presented during this congress that aroused maximum interest.

BACKGROUND The relationship between admission left ventricular (LV) volumes, regional contractility and persistent ST elevation in first anterior ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with evolution of LV volumes at 12 months remains inconclusive. Thus possible differences among patients with reverse dilatation (RD), stationary dilatation (SD) or progressive dilatation (PD) at 12 months based on left ventricle end-systolic volume (LVESV) index changes were investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS ECG and echocardiographic features of 394 1-year survivors of anterior STEMI were analyzed at admission, 6 and 12 months in those with RD (≥15% reduction of LVESV index, at 12 months n=141), SD (

Occurrence of moderate-to-severe pericardial effusion (PE; ≥10 mm), cardiac tamponade (CT), and sudden electromechanical dissociation (EMD) was investigated in 4,361 patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction from 1993 to 2011 in 3 different periods: 1993 to 2000 (n: 1,488); 2001 to 2008 (n: 1,844); and 2009 to 2011 (n: 1,014). Their predictors, including the use of no reperfusion therapy (n: 1,186), thrombolysis (n: 1,607), or primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI, n: 1,562), were also evaluated. Incidence of PE (8.7%, 6.8%, and 5.0%), CT (5.0%, 2.9%, and 1.9%), and EMD (3.7%, 1.7%, and 1.0%), declined over the 3 periods as did mortality (12.0% 8.2%, and 5.9%) with different rates of thrombolytic therapy (52%, 37%, and 14%) and PPCI (7%, 38%, and 76%; all p0.001). In patients treated without reperfusion therapy, thrombolysis, and PPCI, incidence of PE (12.0%, 5.7%, and 4.3%), CT (6.0%, 3.0%, and 2.2%), and EMD (4.1%, 2.2%, and 0.8%) was different as was mortality (14.4%, 8.3%, and 5.9%; all p0.001). Independent predictors of PE were lateral infarction (odds ratio [OR] 4.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.57 to 6.49), increasing age (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.07), number of electrocardiographic leads involved (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.45), and admission delay (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.02). Increasing ejection fraction (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.96 to 0.98), thrombolysis (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.75), and PPCI (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.50), however, were protectors (all p0.001). Lateral infarction, age, number of leads involved, ejection fraction, thrombolytic therapy, and PPCI were also predictors/protectors of CT and EMD. In conclusion, PE, CT, and EMD rates in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction have objectively fallen in the last 2 decades, and their predictors are lateral site, increasing age, number of leads involved, and lack of reperfusion therapy. Late hospital admission is also a relevant predictor of PE.

Background The role of acute arterial hypertension in acute pulmonary edema (APE) as an associated or triggering phenomenon has been poorly investigated and is relevant to patient management. Methods This was a prospective observational study of clinical, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic characteristics of patients with APE. Potential triggers, including acute coronary syndrome (ACS), rapid atrial fibrillation (AF) (≥ 120 bpm in AF), fever > 38°C or volume overload, isolated acute hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥ 170 mm Hg), and unknown factors were investigated. Results There were 742 patients, 578 with coronary artery disease (78%), 116 with valvular heart disease or cardiomyopathy (16%), and 47 without identifiable heart disease (6%). ACS was present in 482 (65%) patients (silent in 154 of them), AF was present in 76 (10%) patients, fever/volume overload was present in 62 (8%) patients, acute hypertension was present in 50 (7%) patients, and no apparent trigger was seen in 72 (10%) patients. Admission hypertension occurred in 260 patients (35%): 155 (60%) with ACS (silent in 49 [32%]), 36 (14%) with AF, 19 (7%) with fever/volume overload, and 59 (19%) as an isolated trigger. Similar results were obtained when analyzing patients using coronary angiography (467 patients [63%]). Acute hypertension was present more frequently in patients with severe hypoventilation (arterial Pco 2 > 60 mm Hg) than in those without (57% vs 29%; P P Conclusions In patients with APE, with or without ACS, acute hypertension is often present but mainly as an associated/reactive phenomenon and seems favoured by severe hypoventilation. Silent myocardial ischemia/necrosis deserves systematic investigation because it is not rare that it may be the underlying cause of APE.

Electrocardiography is an excellent tool for decision making in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, little is known on the correlation between its dynamic changes during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the anatomic information provided by cardiovascular magnetic resonance. The study aimed to assess the predictive value of dynamic ST-segment changes before and after PCI on myocardial area at risk (AAR), infarct size, and left ventricular function in patients with STEMI. Eighty-five consecutive patients with a first STEMI were included. An electrocardiogram was recorded before and after PCI at 1, 24, 48, 72, and 120 hours. Sum of ST elevation (sumSTE), the number of STE, and STE resolution (resSTE) were determined. Complete resSTE was defined as ≥70% resolution, and patients were classified into 3 groups: group 1 (resSTE 1 hour after PCI) n = 39; group 2 (resSTE 120 hour after PCI) n = 27; and group 3, without resSTE (n = 19). Cardiovascular magnetic resonance was performed during hospitalization and at 6 months. Left ventricular volumes, ejection fraction, AAR, infarct size, myocardial salvage index, and microvascular obstruction were determined. Before PCI, the number of STE and sumSTE were best associated with AAR (p