Assessment of Right Ventricle Function and Myocardial Fibrosis by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance in Patients with Inferior Wall Myocardial Infarction

Abstract Background: Right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) can be found in 30-50% of patients with inferior wall myocardial infarction (I-MI) and predicts early mortality. Myocardial fibrosis is associated with progressive ventricular dysfunction and severe prognosis. In these patients, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is an important risk stratification method. Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the association between RVD and myocardial fibrosis in patients with I-MI, using CMR. Methods: Cohort study conducted in a prominent center of cardiology. Forty individuals with I-MI were included in the study. CMR was performed during hospitalization to estimate parameters of right ventricle function and to quantify myocardial fibrosis through late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) technique. Patients were stratified by ventricular function, and clinical characteristics were compared between study groups. Results: Forty patients were included in the study, 75% were male and 43% elderly (age ≥ 60 years). Hypertension (45%) and smoking (33%) were the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors. RVD was found in 33% of patients. Mean fibrosis mass was 22 ± 12 g in patients with RVD compared with 15 ± 8 g in patients with preserved ventricular function (p = 0.051). Conclusions: The findings of our study indicate a possible association between RVD and myocardial fibrosis in patients with I-MI. However, further studies with larger series are needed to confirm our findings.