Skip Navigation

European Journal of Heart Failure 2007 9(10):1003-1009; doi:10.1016/j.ejheart.2007.07.006
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Vogels, R. L.C.
Right arrow Articles by Weinstein, H. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Vogels, R. L.C.
Right arrow Articles by Weinstein, H. C.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 2007 European Society of Cardiology

Brain magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities in patients with heart failure

Raymond L.C. Vogelsa,b,*, Wiesje M. van der Flierb, Barbera van Hartenc, Alida A. Gouwb, Philip Scheltensb, Jutta M. Schroeder-Tankad and Henry C. Weinsteina

a Department of Neurology, Sint Lucas-Andreas Hospital Amsterdam, The Netherlands
b Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands
c Department of Neurology, Medical Center Leeuwarden Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
d Department of Cardiology, Sint Lucas-Andreas Hospital Amsterdam, The Netherlands

* Corresponding author. Department of Neurology, VU Medical Center PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 205108911; fax: +31 206837198. E-mail address: r.vogels{at}vumc.nl


  Abstract

Background: Although heart failure (HF) is a common cardiovascular disorder, to date little research has been conducted into possible associations between HF and structural abnormalities of the brain.

Aims: To determine the frequency and pattern of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities in outpatients with chronic HF, and to identify any demographic and clinical correlates.

Methods: Brain MRI scans were compared between a sample of 58 HF patients, 48 controls diagnosed with cardiovascular disease uncomplicated by HF (cardiac controls) and 42 healthy controls. Deep, periventricular and total white matter hyperintensities (WMH), lacunar and cortical infarcts, global and medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA) were investigated.

Results: Compared to cardiac and healthy controls, HF patients had significantly more WMH, lacunar infarcts and MTA, whereas cardiac controls only had more MTA, compared to healthy controls. Age and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were independently associated with total WMH. Age and systolic hypotension were associated with MTA in HF patients and cardiac controls.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that cardiac dysfunction contributes independently to the development of cerebral MRI abnormalities in patients with HF. Age and low LVEF are the principal predictors of cerebral WMH in patients with HF and in cardiac controls.

Key Words: Heart failure • Magnetic resonance imaging • White matter hyperintensities

Received February 26, 2007; Revised June 18, 2007; Accepted July 12, 2007


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.