Prognostic Value of Cardiovascular MRI in Asymptomatic Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Aortic Regurgitation: A Network Meta-Analysis.

Abstract

Purpose To determine the prognostic significance of cardiac MRI parameters in patients with moderate-to-severe aortic regurgitation (AR) and minimal or no symptoms through a network meta-analysis. Materials and Methods This systematic review and network meta-analysis searched in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for articles published from January 1, 2000, to March 1, 2024, investigating the prognostic value of cardiac MRI parameters in patients with moderate-to-severe AR. The composite outcome included all-cause death, heart failure hospitalization, aortic valve replacement, new-onset heart failure symptoms, New York Heart Association class progression, and left ventricular ejection fraction less than 50%. Both pairwise and network meta-analyses were performed. Results Eight studies with 1579 patients (1187 male patients [75%]; mean age, 55 years ± 5 [SD]) were included. Aortic regurgitant volume and regurgitant fraction were associated with a higher incidence of adverse events (pooled hazard ratio [HR], 1.04 per 1 mL increase [95% CI: 1.01, 1.06] and pooled HR, 1.09 per 1% increase [95% CI: 1.03, 1.16], respectively). Adverse remodeling, reflected by increased end-diastolic or end-systolic volume (pooled HR, 1.02 per 1 mL/m² [95% CI: 1.01, 1.03] and pooled HR, 1.02 per 1 mL/m² [95% CI: 1.01, 1.04], respectively), was predictive of worse outcome. Late gadolinium enhancement was associated with a twofold increased risk of developing the study end point (pooled HR, 1.86; 95% CI: 1.20, 2.89). T1 mapping and extracellular volume could not be assessed. Network meta-analysis disclosed that late gadolinium enhancement (P = .884) and regurgitant fraction (P = .727) were the most important prognostic factors. Conclusion This network meta-analysis demonstrated the strong prognostic value of regurgitant fraction and left ventricular adverse remodeling as assessed with cardiac MRI in risk stratification of patients with moderate-to-severe AR and no or minimal symptoms. Keywords: Meta-Analysis, Aortic Regurgitation, Late Gadolinium Enhancement, Cardiac MRI Supplemental material is available for this article. © RSNA, 2025.