Arterial stiffening, myocardial changes and predicting HFPEF_version1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Arterial stiffening, myocardial changes and predicting heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: an MRI Twin Study
IRAS ID
141680
Contact name
Tarique Hussain
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
The incidence of heart failure with preserved function (HFPEF) is increasing and despite overall improvement in survival rates for patients with heart failure, there has been no change in outcome for these patients. Arterial stiffness has been implicated as a key risk factor for HFPEF.
A number of myocardial pathological processes have been demonstrated in the setting of ageing, hypertension, and increased vascular stiffness. These include fibroblast proliferation and perivascular fibrosis of myocardial resistance vessels. Cardiovascular MRI techniques can now identify these histopathological myocardial changes by the quantification of global coronary flow reserve, or by the quantification of the amount of myocardial interstitial fibrosis and even by the detection of early functional changes such as myocardial strain and strain rate.
We hypothesise that arterial stiffening results in a reduced myocardial perfusion reserve, a reduced ventricular compliance and diffuse myocardial fibrosis and that these changes are detectable early using MRI prior to the development of any symptoms.
REC name
London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/2001
Date of REC Opinion
5 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion