Coronary Flow Reserve, Inflammation, and Myocardial Strain

Inflammation is a key determinant of cardiovascular outcomes, but its role in heart failure is uncertain. In patients with cardiometabolic disease enrolled in the prospective, multicenter ancillary study of CIRT (Cardiovascular Inflammation Reduction Trial), CIRT-CFR (Coronary Flow Reserve to Assess Cardiovascular Inflammation), impaired coronary flow reserve was independently associated with increased inflammation and myocardial strain despite well-controlled lipid, glycemic, and hemodynamic profiles. Inflammation modified the relationship between CFR and myocardial strain, disrupting the association between cardiac blood flow and function. Future studies are needed to investigate whether an early inflammation-mediated reduction in CFR capturing microvascular ischemia may lead to heart failure in patients with cardiometabolic disease. (Cardiovascular Inflammation Reduction Trial [CIRT]; NCT01594333; Coronary Flow Reserve to Assess Cardiovascular Inflammation [CIRT-CFR]; NCT02786134).