Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of European Heart Journal Open, 5(3), oeaf032. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjopen/oeaf032 Dr. Hosamadin S. Assadi et al.
Points
- Researchers developed a cardiac MRI-based model to estimate functional heart age. This model closely matched chronological age in healthy individuals, demonstrating its validity as an early cardiovascular assessment tool.
- When applied to patients with cardiovascular conditions, the model showed significantly older functional heart ages, with a median difference of 4.6 years above their actual age.
- Elevated functional heart age was most pronounced among individuals with hypertension, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, and particularly Class III obesity, signaling increased cardiovascular risk in these populations.
- The approach enables earlier detection of cardiovascular decline in asymptomatic individuals, potentially allowing for timely lifestyle changes or interventions to prevent disease progression.
- This imaging-based model offers a noninvasive, quantifiable method to assess heart health. It has promising implications for improving risk prediction and prevention strategies in clinical settings.
Summary
This study aimed to develop a model using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging to assess the “functional heart age,” providing an innovative approach to detect early cardiovascular risk. The model was initially tested in a cohort of 191 healthy individuals with a median age of 34. It measured left atrial end-systolic volume and ejection fraction, showing that CMR-derived functional heart age was closely aligned with chronological age in healthy individuals (bias: 0.05%, 95% CI: 9.56–9.67%, P = 0.993). This initial validation indicates the model’s robustness for assessing heart health in individuals without cardiovascular conditions.
The model was then applied to a validation cohort of 366 patients, including individuals with conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation. The median age of this group was 53 years, and the CMR-derived functional heart age was significantly higher than chronological age, with an average difference of 4.6 years (95% CI: 1.6–7.6 years, P = 0.003). Functional heart age was particularly elevated in those with hypertension, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation (P < 0.001). Interestingly, the study also explored the impact of obesity on heart age, revealing that obesity, especially in Class III (P < 0.001), was linked to higher functional heart age compared to age-matched healthy controls.
The findings suggest that CMR can accurately determine the functional heart age, providing a valuable tool for clinicians to identify early signs of cardiovascular decline, particularly in high-risk populations. The results highlight the potential of this approach to detect cardiovascular issues before clinical symptoms arise, opening avenues for preventative interventions to mitigate the progression of cardiovascular disease. Given the significant burden of cardiovascular disease, this method could revolutionize early diagnosis and intervention strategies in clinical practice.
Link to the article: https://academic.oup.com/ehjopen/article/5/3/oeaf032/8098121
References Assadi, H. S., Zhao, X., Matthews, G., Li, R., Broncano Cabrero, J., Kasmai, B., Alabed, S., Royuela Del Val, J., Spohr, H., Gurung-Koney, Y., Aung, N., Nair, S., Swift, A. J., Vassiliou, V. S., Zhong, L., Al-Mohammad, A., Van Der Geest, R. J., Swoboda, P. P., Plein, S., & Garg, P. (2025). Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging markers of ageing: A multi-centre, cross-sectional cohort study. European Heart Journal Open, 5(3), oeaf032. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjopen/oeaf032
