Baseline Longitudinal Strain Predicts Recovery of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction in Hospitalized Patients With Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Background Heart failure (HF) with “recovered” ejection fraction (HFrecEF) is an emerging phenotype, but no tools exist to predict ejection fraction (EF) recovery in acute HF. We hypothesized that indices of baseline cardiac structure and function predict HFrecEF in nonischemic cardiomyopathy and reduced EF. Methods and Results We identified a nonischemic cardiomyopathy cohort with EF4.35 cm, higher absolute longitudinal strain (≥8%) was associated with HFrecEF (unadjusted odds ratio=3.9, 95% CI)confidence interval 1.2, 12.8). Incorporation of baseline indices of cardiac mechanics with clinical variables resulted in a predictive model for HFrecEF with c‐statistic=0.85. Conclusions Factors associated with achieving HFrecEF were specific to cardiac structure and indices of cardiac mechanics. Higher baseline absolute longitudinal strain is associated with HFrecEF among nonischemic cardiomyopathy patients with reduced EF and larger left ventricular dimensions.

Keywords

• echocardiography
• heart failure with recovered ejection fraction
• longitudinal strain
• nonischemic heart failure
• recovery