Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38117807›Full record

ArticlePloS one2023

Risk stratification in patients with structurally normal hearts: Does fibrosis type matter?

Katarzyna E Gil, Katarzyna Mikrut, Jan Mazur, Ann Lowery Black, Vien T Truong, Suzanne Smart, Karolina M Zareba

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Prediction of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death by quantification and location of late gadolinium enhancement on cardiac magnetic resonance: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2025
    Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Katarzyna E GilThe Ohio State University Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Columbus, OH, United States of America.
Katarzyna MikrutAdvocate Heart Institute, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Chicago, IL, United States of America.
Jan MazurUniversity of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America.
Ann Lowery BlackThe Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, United States of America.ORCID 0009-0009-8769-3770
Vien T TruongDepartment of Internal Medicine, Nazareth Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.
Suzanne SmartDorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America.
Karolina M ZarebaThe Ohio State University Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Columbus, OH, United States of America.
Lung Institute · USThe Ohio State University · USAdvocate Lutheran General Hospital · USNazareth Hospital · USUniversity of Cincinnati Medical Center · US

Funding

NHLBI NIH HHS L30 HL134084
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe study sought to assess the prognostic significance of nonischemic myocardial fibrosis (MF) on cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)-both macroscopic MF assessed by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and diffuse microscopic MF quantified by extracellular volume fraction (ECV)-in patients with structurally normal hearts.

backgroundThe clinical relevance of tissue abnormalities identified by CMR in patients with structurally normal hearts remains unclear.

methodsConsecutive patients undergoing CMR were screened for inclusion to identify those with LGE imaging and structurally normal hearts. ECV was calculated in patients with available T1 mapping. The associations between myocardial fibrosis and the outcomes of all-cause mortality, new-onset heart failure [HF], and an arrhythmic outcome were evaluated.

resultsIn total 525 patients (mean age 43.1±14.2 years; 30.5% males) were included. Over a median follow-up of 5.8 years, 13 (2.5%) patients died and 18 (3.4%) developed new-onset HF. Nonischemic midwall /subepicardial LGE was present in 278 (52.9%) patients; isolated RV insertion fibrosis was present in 80 (15.2%) patients. In 276 patients with available T1 mapping, the mean ECV was 25.5 ± 4.4%. There was no significant association between LGE and all-cause mortality (HR: 1.36, CI: 0.42-4.42, p = 0.61), or new-onset HF (HR: 0.64, CI: 0.25-1.61, p = 0.34). ECV (per 1% increase) correlated with all-cause mortality (HR: 1.19, CI: 1.04-1.36, p = 0.009), but not with new-onset HF (HR: 0.97, CI: 0.86-1.10, p = 0.66). There was no significant association between arrhythmic outcomes and LGE (p = 0.60) or ECV (p = 0.49). In a multivariable model after adjusting for covariates, ECV remained significantly associated with all-cause mortality (HR per 1% increase in ECV: 1.26, CI: 1.06-1.50, p = 0.009).

conclusionNonischemic LGE in patients with structurally normal hearts is common and does not appear to be associated with adverse outcomes, whereas elevated ECV is associated with all-cause mortality and may be an important risk stratification tool.

Indexed as

CardiomyopathiesHeart FailureAdultContrast MediaFemaleFibrosisGadoliniumHumansMagnetic Resonance Imaging, CineMaleMiddle AgedMyocardiumPredictive Value of TestsRisk AssessmentStroke VolumeContrast MediaGadolinium

Identifiers

PMID38117807
PMCPMC10732365
OpenAlexW4389990596

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.