Assessment of Diffuse Myocardial Fibrosis and Myocardial Oedema in Sepsis Survivors Using Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance: Correlation with Left Ventricular Systolic Function

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Survivors of sepsis can develop left ventricular (LV) systolic function with focal myocardial fibrosis. The relationship between diffuse myocardial fibrosis or oedema and LV systolic function remains unknown in this patient cohort. This study sought to address this knowledge gap using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) parametric mapping methods. <b>Methods</b>: Sepsis survivors who underwent CMR at a UK cardiac centre were included. CMR images analysed include cines, native T1-mapping, native T2-mapping, and post-contrast T1-mapping. Synthetic extracellular volume (ECV) fraction was also estimated. Native myocardial T1 values, native myocardial T2 values, and ECV values were compared against LV ejection fraction (LVEF). <b>Results</b>: Of the 37 sepsis survivors (age 53 ± 16 years old; 57% males), the mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 55% (IQR 43-62), and 43% of the patients had LV systolic dysfunction (LVEF < 50%). Mean native myocardial T1 values were 1055 ± 65 ms (septal) and 1051 ± 60 ms (global). Mean synthetic ECV values were 0.30 ± 0.04. Mean native myocardial T2 values were 52 ± 7 ms (septal) and 53 ± 6 ms (global). Septal and global native myocardial T1 values were not significantly correlated with LVEF (rho = 0.080, <i>p</i> = 0.637; rho = 0.036, <i>p</i> = 0.831, respectively). Synthetic ECV was not significantly correlated to LVEF (rho = -0.082; <i>p</i> = 0.723). Septal and global native myocardial T2 values were weakly correlated with LVEF (rho = 0.261, <i>p</i> = 0.281; rho = 0.216, <i>p</i> = 0.375, respectively). On ROC analysis, the performance of native myocardial T1 values, ECV, and native myocardial T2 values for predicting LV dysfunction was modest (AUC: 0.53 ± 0.10, 0.54 ± 11, and 0.68 ± 0.14; all <i>p</i> > 0.05, respectively). <b>Conclusions</b>: CMR markers of diffuse myocardial fibrosis (native T1-mapping and ECV) and myocardial oedema (native T2-mapping) have weak relationships with left ventricular systolic function in this study cohort of sepsis survivors. Further work is needed to better assess the role of diffuse myocardial fibrosis and oedema in the pathophysiology of post-sepsis cardiomyopathy.