1
|
De Luca G, Matucci-Cerinic M, Mavrogeni SI. Diagnosis and management of primary heart involvement in systemic sclerosis. Curr Opin Rheumatol 2024; 36:76-93. [PMID: 37962165 DOI: 10.1097/bor.0000000000000990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In systemic sclerosis (SSc) primary heart involvement (pHI) is frequent, even though often unrecognized due to its occult nature and to the lack of a specific diagnostic algorithm. The purpose of this review is to report the state of the art of the evidence in the current literature, as well as the overall diagnostic modalities and therapeutic strategies for primary heart involvement in SSc. RECENT FINDINGS SSc-pHI is defined by the presence of cardiac abnormalities that are predominantly attributable to SSc rather than other causes and/or complications; it may be sub-clinical and must be confirmed through diagnostic investigations. Novel electrocardiographic analysis and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) with mapping techniques have been recently proposed, showing a great utility in the early identification of SSc-pHI and in the noninvasive characterization of myocardial tissue. Immunosuppressive therapy emerged as fundamental to curb myocardial inflammation, and recent preclinical and clinical data support the role of antifibrotic drugs to treat SSc-pHI. SUMMARY our review will help clinicians to properly integrate the available diagnostic modalities for the assessment of SSc-pHI. The ultimate goal is to propose a feasible diagnostic algorithm for the early identification of patients with SSc-pHI, and a schematic therapeutic approach to manage SSc-pHI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo De Luca
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan
| | - Marco Matucci-Cerinic
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Sophie I Mavrogeni
- Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision Medicine and UNESCO Chair in Adolescent Healthcare, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Noninvasive Liver Fibrosis Staging: Comparison of MR Elastography with Extracellular Volume Fraction Analysis Using Contrast-Enhanced CT. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11195653. [PMID: 36233521 PMCID: PMC9572277 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11195653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: To compare the accuracy of liver fibrosis staging with MR elastography and of staging with extracellular volume fraction (fECV) analysis using contrast-enhanced CT. Methods: This retrospective study included 60 patients who underwent both MR elastography and contrast-enhanced CT before liver surgery between October 2013 and July 2020. Two radiologists independently measured liver stiffness of MR elastography and fECV of CT images. Accuracy for liver fibrosis staging was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Correlations between liver stiffness or fECV and liver fibrosis were also evaluated by means of the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results: The areas under the ROC curves for MR elastography for each stage differentiation of ≥F1 (0.85, 0.82 for the two radiologists), ≥F2 (0.88, 0.89), ≥F3 (0.87, 0.86), and F4 (0.84, 0.83) were greater than those for fECV analysis with CT (0.64, p = 0.06, 0.69, p = 0.2; 0.62, p < 0.005, 0.63, p < 0.005; 0.62, p < 0.005, 0.62, p < 0.01; and 0.70, p = 0.08, 0.71, p = 0.2, respectively). The correlation coefficients between liver stiffness and liver fibrosis in A0 (0.67, 0.69 for the two radiologists), A1 (0.64, 0.66) and A2 group (0.58, 0.51) were significantly higher than those between fECV and liver fibrosis (0.28, 0.30; 0.27, 0.31; and 0.23, 0.07; p < 0.05 for all comparisons). Conclusion: MR elastography allows for more accurate liver fibrosis staging compared with fECV analysis with CT. In addition, MR elastography may be less affected than fECV analysis by the inflammatory condition.
Collapse
|
3
|
Sierra-Galan LM, Bhatia M, Alberto-Delgado AL, Madrazo-Shiordia J, Salcido C, Santoyo B, Martinez E, Soto ME. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in Rheumatology to Detect Cardiac Involvement Since Early and Pre-clinical Stages of the Autoimmune Diseases: A Narrative Review. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:870200. [PMID: 35911548 PMCID: PMC9326004 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.870200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune diseases (ADs) encompass multisystem disorders, and cardiovascular involvement is a well-known feature of autoimmune and inflammatory rheumatic conditions. Unfortunately, subclinical and early cardiovascular involvement remains clinically silent and often undetected, despite its well-documented impact on patient management and prognostication with an even more significant effect on severe and future MACE events as the disease progresses. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), today, commands a unique position of supremacy versus its competition in cardiac assessment and is the gold standard for the non-invasive evaluation of cardiac function, structure, morphology, tissue characterization, and flow with the capability of evaluating biventricular function; myocardium for edema, ischemia, fibrosis, infarction; valves for thickening, large masses; pericardial inflammation, pericardial effusions, and tamponade; cardiac cavities for thrombosis; conduction related abnormalities and features of microvascular and large vessel involvement. As precise and early detection of cardiovascular involvement plays a critical role in improving the outcome of rheumatic and autoimmune conditions, our review aims to highlight the evolving role of CMR in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic sclerosis (SSc), limited sclerosis (LSc), adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD), polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM), eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) (formerly Churg-Strauss syndrome), and DRESS syndrome (DS). It draws attention to the need for concerted, systematic global interdisciplinary research to improve future outcomes in autoimmune-related rheumatic conditions with multiorgan, multisystem, and cardiovascular involvement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lilia M. Sierra-Galan
- Cardiology Department of the Cardiovascular Division of the American British Cowdray Medical Center, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mona Bhatia
- Department of Imaging, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Javier Madrazo-Shiordia
- Cardiology Department of the Cardiovascular Division of the American British Cowdray Medical Center, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Carlos Salcido
- Cardiology Department of the Cardiovascular Division of the American British Cowdray Medical Center, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Bernardo Santoyo
- Cardiology Department of the Cardiovascular Division of the American British Cowdray Medical Center, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Eduardo Martinez
- Cardiology Department of the Cardiovascular Division of the American British Cowdray Medical Center, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Maria Elena Soto
- Cardiology Department of the Cardiovascular Division of the American British Cowdray Medical Center, Mexico City, Mexico
- Immunology Department of the National Institute of Cardiology, “Ignacio Chavez”, Mexico City, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Palumbo P, Ruscitti P, Cannizzaro E, Berardicurti O, Conforti A, Di Cesare A, Di Cola I, Giacomelli R, Splendiani A, Barile A, Masciocchi C, Cipriani P, Di Cesare E. Unenhanced Cardiac Magnetic Resonance may improve detection and prognostication of an occult heart involvement in asymptomatic patients with systemic sclerosis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5125. [PMID: 35332224 PMCID: PMC8948177 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09064-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an uncommon autoimmune disease. Aim of the study was to detect the occult cardiac involvement in asymptomatic SSc patients of recent onset (indicative of a more aggressive disease) with unenhanced Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR). Our historical prospective study included naïve SSc patients of recent onset. Modified Rodnan Skin Score (mRSS) and Scleroderma Clinical Trial Consortium Damage Index (SCTC-DI) were calculated. Cardiac volumes and global myocardial strain were assessed and also compared with healthy group values. Pericardial involvement was further recorded. Thirty-one patients met inclusion criteria (54 ± 12 years; 1 M). Mean duration of disease was 6.8 years. All patients showed preserved systolic function. Higher incidence of pericardial involvement was founded in patients with disease accrual damage (OR: 9.6, p-value 0.01). Radial and longitudinal strain values resulted significantly different between healthy and SSc patients. GRS and GLS showed an independent predictive validity on damage accrual (HR: 1.22 and 1.47, respectively). Best C-index for disease progression was reached when strain values and pericardial evaluation were added to conventional risk factors (0.97, p-value: 0.0001). Strain analysis by CMR-TT may show a high capability both in identifying early cardiac involvement and stratifying its clinical aggressiveness, regardless of the standard damage indices and CMR contrast-dependent biomarker.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pierpaolo Palumbo
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Area of Cardiovascular and Interventional Imaging, Abruzzo Health Unit 1, Via Saragat -località Campo di Pile, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy. .,SIRM Foundation, Italian Society of Medical and Interventional Radiology (SIRM), 20122, Milan, Italy.
| | - Piero Ruscitti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Ester Cannizzaro
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Area of Cardiovascular and Interventional Imaging, Abruzzo Health Unit 1, Via Saragat -località Campo di Pile, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Onorina Berardicurti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Alessandro Conforti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Annamaria Di Cesare
- Ospedale "Infermi" di Rimini, Viale Luigi Settembrini, 2, 47923, Rimini, Italy
| | - Ilenia Di Cola
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Roberto Giacomelli
- Rome Biomedical Campus University, via Álvaro del Portillo 200, 00128, Roma, Italy
| | - Alessandra Splendiani
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Antonio Barile
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Carlo Masciocchi
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Paola Cipriani
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Ernesto Di Cesare
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Piazzale Salvatore Tommasi 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
De Luca G, Palmisano A, Campochiaro C, Vignale D, Cavalli G, Bruno E, Sartorelli S, Ferlito A, Peretto G, Sala S, Matucci-Cerinic M, Dagna L, Esposito A. Cardiac magnetic resonance in systemic sclerosis myocarditis: the value of T2 mapping to detect myocardial inflammation. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2022; 61:4409-4419. [DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keac098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTARCT
Objectives
Myocarditis in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is associated with a poor prognosis. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) is the non-invasive diagnostic modality of choice for SSc-myocarditis. Our study investigates the performance of the mapping techniques, included in the revised Lake Louise Criteria (LLC), for the identification of SSc-myocarditis.
Methods
CMR data (right and left ventricular function and morphology, early and late gadolinium enhancement [LGE], T2 ratio, and T1 mapping, extra-cellular volume [ECV] and T2 mapping) of SSc patients diagnosed with myocarditis were reviewed. Myocarditis was defined by the presence of symptoms of SSc-heart involvement with increased high-sensitive troponin T(hs-TnT) and/or NT-proBNP and at least an abnormality at 24 h-ECG-Holter and/or echocardiography and/or CMR. A p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
Results
19 patients (median age 54 [46–70] years; females 78.9%; diffuse SSc 52.6%; anti-Scl70 + 52.6%) were identified: 11(57.9%) had echocardiographic, and 8(42.8%) 24 h-ECG Holter abnormalities. All patients had at least one CMR abnormality: LGE in 18(94.7%), increased ECV in 10(52.6%), T2 mapping > 50ms in 15(78.9%). Median T1 and T2 mapping were 1085[1069–1110]ms and 53.1[52–54]ms, respectively. T1 mapping directly correlated with NT-proBNP(r = 0.620; p= 0.005), ESR(r = 0.601; p= 0.008), CRP(r = 0.685; p= 0.001) and skin score(r = 0.507; p= 0.027); ECV correlated with NT-proBNP serum levels(r = 0.702; p= 0.001). No correlations emerged between T2 mapping and other parameters. Ten patients satisfied the 2009 LLC, 17 the 2018 LLC. With the new criteria including T2-mapping, the sensitivity improved from 52.6% to 89.5%.
Conclusion
the CMR mapping techniques improve the sensitivity to detect myocardial inflammation in patients with SSc-heart involvement. The evaluation of T2 mapping increases diagnostic accuracy for the recognition of myocardial inflammation in SSc.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo De Luca
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Palmisano
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Clinical and Experimental Radiology Unit, Experimental Imaging Center, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Corrado Campochiaro
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Vignale
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Clinical and Experimental Radiology Unit, Experimental Imaging Center, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulio Cavalli
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Bruno
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Clinical and Experimental Radiology Unit, Experimental Imaging Center, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Sartorelli
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Arianna Ferlito
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Peretto
- Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital and University, Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Sala
- Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital and University, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Matucci-Cerinic
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, and Division of Rheumatology AOUC, Florence, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Dagna
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Esposito
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Clinical and Experimental Radiology Unit, Experimental Imaging Center, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
De Luca G, Bombace S, Monti L. Heart Involvement in Systemic Sclerosis: the Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2022; 64:343-357. [PMID: 35072931 DOI: 10.1007/s12016-022-08923-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a severe connective tissue disease characterized by diffuse vascular damage and aberrant activation of immune system, resulting in inflammation and fibrosis of skin and internal organs, including the heart. Cardiac involvement is frequent in SSc, even though often unrecognized due to the occult nature at early stages and to the lack of a defined diagnostic algorithm. Once clinically evident, heart involvement is associated with a poor prognosis, representing the leading cause of death in about one third of SSc patients. Thus, its early recognition and monitoring are of crucial importance to allow a prompt therapeutic intervention and to improve patients' outcomes. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) is a non-invasive, non-radiating imaging technique of great importance for the assessment of cardiovascular system, and represents the modality of choice for the morpho-functional and structural characterization of the heart. In SSc, CMR allows a precise definition of biventricular and biatrial size and function, and a detailed tissue characterization. CMR has been therefore extensively proposed in SSc as a non-invasive diagnostic tool to characterize heart involvement, particularly myocardial involvement. In this review, we summarize the most recent evidences to support the use of CMR in SSc as an important tool to recognize and characterize scleroderma heart disease. Furthermore, the unmet needs and the future perspectives of a CMR-based approach for the early detection of SSc heart involvement are discussed.
Collapse
|
7
|
Markousis-Mavrogenis G, Mavrogeni SI. Cutting the "Gordian Knot" - Cardiac Involvement in Primary Sjögren Syndrome. J Rheumatol 2021; 48:802-803. [PMID: 33722948 DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.201171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sophie I Mavrogeni
- S.I. Mavrogeni, MD, PhD, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, and National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
Primary systemic sclerosis heart involvement (pSHI) is an important disease manifestation that accounts for a significant proportion of systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated mortality. A broad clinical spectrum of pSHI exists, which ranges from asymptomatic perfusion abnormalities to diastolic dysfunction or acute myocarditis and congestive heart failure. With improving sensitivity of cardiac investigations, it is increasingly recognized that there is a large burden of subclinical cardiac disease in patients with SSc. Early signs of pSHI can be subtle and determining the etiology of cardiac abnormalities from other causes of cardiomyopathy such as hypertension, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and pulmonary vascular disease remain challenging. Early identification of pSHI potentially provides clinicians with a window of opportunity for intervention to avert progression to heart failure. However, optimal screening and treatment guidelines are lacking, and it is an area of much needed further clinical research.
Collapse
|
9
|
Del Galdo F, Matucci-Cerinic M. A special European Journal of Rheumatology issue on systemic sclerosis: What and why? Eur J Rheumatol 2020; 7:S137-S138. [PMID: 33164730 PMCID: PMC7647686 DOI: 10.5152/eurjrheum.2020.090121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Del Galdo
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Marco Matucci-Cerinic
- Division of Rheumatology AOUC, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| |
Collapse
|