Myocardial involvement in pulmonary disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Myocardial involvement in pulmonary disease. An observational exploratory pilot study
IRAS ID
156273
Contact name
Christopher Miller
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital of South Manchester
Research summary
Cystic fibrosis (CF) and Churg-Strauss syndrome are primarily lung diseases characterized by marked inflammation and fibrosis (scarring). There is little data regarding heart involvement in these conditions, and their impact on heart function. This may reflect the fact that until recently there has been no technique that allows non-invasive, reliable and specific detection of heart inflammation and fibrosis.
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) now makes this possible. MRI is widely recognised as a safe, sensitive, reproducible and comprehensive non-invasive imaging test. Cardiac MRI permits quantitative (measurable) assessment of heart muscle inflammation and fibrosis (focal and diffuse) and detailed assessment of heart function. This ‘heart muscle characterisation’ that cardiac MRI allows has provided much greater understanding of, and insight into, heart involvement in systemic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic sclerosis. Indeed MRI has demonstrated that considerable heart muscle injury can be present without any alteration in conventional markers of heart function. MRI also allows detailed assessment of lung inflammation and fibrosis.
We hypothesise pulmonary diseases will involve the myocardium and lead to changes in myocardial structure and function, which will be detectable using multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging. In order to investigate this hypothesis we propose an exploratory pilot study, in which 10 patients with CF and Churg-Strauss syndrome and 10 healthy volunteers will undergo MRI scanning.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/NW/1088
Date of REC Opinion
10 Nov 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion