Late Gadolinium Enhancement Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for Predicting Left Ventricular Reverse Remodeling in Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

TL;DR

This study shows that LGE-MRI can reliably predict heart improvement in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy patients undergoing medical treatment.

Contribution

A meta-analysis demonstrating LGE-MRI's consistent predictive value for LVRR across NICM subgroups.

Findings

Absence of LGE is strongly associated with LVRR (OR: 3.72).

LGE-MRI predicts LVRR similarly in dilated and non-dilated NICM patients.

Predictive value holds regardless of baseline LVEF (<30% vs. ≥30%).

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE)-MRI has proven utility in prognosticating outcomes in patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). However, evidence regarding its ability to predict responsiveness to optimal medical therapy remains insufficient. This study conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the predictive utility of LGE-MRI for left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR) in response to pharmacological therapy. Methods: Data from 1092 NICM patients across 13 studies were included in the analysis. To assess the predictive ability of LGE-MRI for LVRR following optimal medical therapy, a pooled odds ratio was calculated using an inverse variance random-effects meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses were performed by stratifying patients based on the presence or absence of left ventricular dilation and by LVEF (<30% vs. ≥30%). Results: The pooled odds ratio of the absence of LGE for predicting LVRR in NICM was 3.72 (95% CI: 2.83–4.90, I2 = 0, P for heterogeneity = 0.54). A comparison of pooled odds ratios between dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and NICM showed no significant difference (p = 0.16). A subgroup analysis in NICM based on the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) demonstrated no significant difference in odds ratios between patients with LVEF <30% (OR: 2.96, 95% CI: 1.80–4.87) and those with LVEF ≥30% (OR: 3.97, 95% CI: 2.97–5.31), (p = 0.13). Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggested that LGE-MRI serves as a reliable predictor of LVRR in patients with NICM, regardless of left ventricular dilation or baseline LVEF classification.

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