Combined assessment of stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance and angiography to predict the effect of revascularization in chronic coronary syndrome patients

The role of revascularization in chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) and the value of ischaemia vs. anatomy to guide decision-making are in constant debate. We explored the potential of a combined assessment of ischaemic burden by vasodilator stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and presence of multivessel disease by angiography to predict the effect of revascularization on all-cause mortality in CCS.

The study group comprised 1066 CCS patients submitted to vasodilator stress CMR pre-cardiac catheterization (mean age 66 ± 11 years, 69% male). Stress CMR-derived ischaemic burden (extensive if >5 ischaemic segments) and presence of multivessel disease in angiography (two- or three-vessel or left main stem disease) were computed. The influence of revascularization on all-cause mortality was explored and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals were obtained. During a median 7.51-year follow-up, 557 (52%) CMR-related revascularizations and 308 (29%) deaths were documented. Revascularization exerted a neutral effect on all-cause mortality in the whole study group [HR 0.94 (0.74–1.19), P = 0.6], in patients without multivessel disease [n = 598, 56%, HR 1.12 (0.77–1.62), P = 0.6], and in those with multivessel disease without extensive ischaemic burden [n = 181, 17%, HR 1.66 (0.91–3.04), P = 0.1]. However, compared to non-revascularized patients, revascularization significantly reduced all-cause mortality in patients with simultaneous multivessel disease and extensive ischaemic burden (n = 287, 27%): 3.77 vs. 7.37 deaths per 100 person-years, HR 0.60 (0.40–0.90), P = 0.01.

In patients with CCS submitted to catheterization, evidence of simultaneous extensive CMR-related ischaemic burden and multivessel disease identifies the subset in whom revascularization can reduce all-cause mortality.