J Cardiovasc Imaging.  2022 Jul;30(3):202-211. 10.4250/jcvi.2022.0021.

What Is Normal for an Aging Heart?: A Prospective CMR Cohort Study

• Kersten J
• Hackenbroch C
• Bouly M
• Tyl B
• Bernhardt P

• KMID: 2531811
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4250/jcvi.2022.0021

Abstract

BACKGROUND
This study aims to investigate normal changes throughout aging of the heart in cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in healthy volunteers. While type 2 diabetes mellitus is a frequent finding in the elderly population, also the influence of this circumstance in otherwise healthy persons is part of our study.
METHODS
In this prospective single-center trial, 75 healthy subjects in distinct age groups and 10 otherwise healthy diabetics were enrolled. All subjects underwent functional, flow sensitive, native T2- and T1-mapping in a 1.5T CMR scanner.
RESULTS
No differences in right and left ventricular ejection fractions were observed between aging healthy groups. Bi-ventricular volumes lowered significantly (p<0.001) between the age groups. There was also a significant decrease in myocardial T1 values, aortic distensibility, and left ventricular peak diastolic strain rates. There were no differences in T2 mapping and the other deformation parameters. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus had lower end-diastolic volume indexes; all the other measurements were comparable.
CONCLUSIONS
Aging processes in the healthy heart involve a decrease in ventricular volumes, with ejection fractions remaining normal. Stiffening of the myocardium and aorta and a decrease in T1 values are potential indications of age-related remodeling. Type 2 diabetes mellitus seems to have no major influence on aging processes of the heart.

Keyword

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging; Strain imaging; Normal values; Aging; Healthy subjects