• Riccardo M Inciardi, Marco Merlo, Mariagiulia Bellicini, Martina Setti, Antonio De Luca, Nunzia Di Meo, Paolo Rondi, Matteo Pagnesi, Marianna Adamo, Carlo M Lombardi, Jacopo Giulio Rizzi, Davide Farina, Alessandro Mantovani, Giovanni Targher, Gianfranco Sinagra, Marco Metra, and NAFLD-DCM group.
• ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Division of Cardiology and Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
• Eur. J. Intern. Med. 2024 Sep 1; 127: 849084-90.

AimLiver damage frequently occurs in patients with cardiovascular (CV) disease and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. The associations of liver damage with cardiac structure/function measures and the risk of adverse CV events in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are poorly known.MethodsWe retrospectively enrolled consecutive patients with DCM undergoing cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In addition to standard cardiac assessment, iron-corrected T1 mapping was also assessed in the liver. Cross-sectional associations between hepatic T1-time and cardiac structure and function were examined accounting for potential confounders. Longitudinal associations between hepatic T1-time and the risk of hospitalization for HF or CV death were also assessed.ResultsOverall, 120 stable patients with established DCM were included in the study (mean age 54.7 years, 26 % women). The mean hepatic iron-corrected T1-time was 563±73 ms. In linear regression analyses, measures of left atrial structure (LA maximal volume, p = 0.035, LA minimal volume=0.012), interventricular septum thickness (p = 0.026), and right ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.005) were significantly associated with greater hepatic T1-time. Over a mean follow-up of 4.5 ± 1.8 years, 32 (27 %) died or were hospitalized for HF at a rate of 6.7 per 100 person-year. Higher hepatic iron-corrected T1-time was independently associated with a higher risk of adverse events (adjusted-hazard ratio 1.71, 95 % confidence interval: 1.14-2.56, p = 0.009). Patients with a hepatic T1-time ≥563 ms had a higher risk of CV events (log-rank p = 0.03).ConclusionAmong stable patients with DCM, higher hepatic iron-corrected T1-time is associated with worse cardiac size and function and with higher rates of hospitalization for HF or CV death.Condensed AbstractLimited data exist regarding the clinical value of hepatic T1-time in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) undergoing cardiac Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI). We found that higher hepatic iron-corrected T1-time is associated with worse cardiac size and function, even after accounting for clinical confounders. Over a mean follow-up of 4.5 ± 1.8 years, higher hepatic iron-corrected T1-time was independently associated with a higher risk of hospitalization for heart failure or cardiovascular death. Among stable patients with DCM, the evaluation of liver tissue by cardiac MRI may provide useful clinical information for CV risk stratification.Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.

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