Coronary sinus thermography in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: Correlation with systemic inflammation and left ventricular contractility

Background Previous studies have demonstrated that patients with heart failure have increased myocardial heat production. Coronary sinus (CS) thermography is a new method for the evaluation of left ventricular heat production. Aims We investigated whether the CS blood temperature is increased in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) compared to a control group and whether the CS blood temperature correlates with ejection fraction and systemic inflammatory activation. Methods and results We included 25 patients with DCM and 22 healthy subjects. Temperature measurements were performed using a new thermography catheter. Temperature difference (ΔT) was defined as the difference between the CS and RA blood temperature. The CRP levels were also measured. ΔT was significantly greater in patients with DCM compared to the controls (0.25±0.09 vs 0.14±0.07 °C, p