Purpose: Left ventricular global function index (LVGFI) assessed using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) seems promising in the prediction of clinical outcomes. However, the role of the LVGFI is uncertain in patients with heart failure (HF) with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). To describe the association of LVGFI and outcomes in patients with DCM, it was hypothesized that LVGFI is associated with decreased major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in patients with DCM.
Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted from January 2015 to April 2020 in consecutive patients with DCM who underwent CMR. The association between outcomes and LVGFI was assessed using a multivariable model adjusted with confounders. LVGFI was the primary exposure variable. The long-term outcome was a composite endpoint, including death or heart transplantation.
Results: A total of 334 patients (mean age: 55 years) were included in this study. The average of CMR-LVGFI was 16.53%. Over a median follow-up of 565 days, 43 patients reached the composite endpoint. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that patients with LVGFI lower than the cutoff values (15.73%) had a higher estimated cumulative incidence of the endpoint compared to those with LVGFI higher than the cutoff values (P=0.0021). The hazard of MACEs decreased by 38% for each 1 SD increase in LVGFI (hazard ratio 0.62[95%CI 0.43-0.91]) and after adjustment by 46% (HR 0.54 [95%CI 0.32-0.89]). The association was consistent across subgroup analyses.
Conclusion: In this study, an increase in CMR-LVGFI was associated with decreasing the long-term risk of MACEs with DCM after adjustment for traditional confounders.