Associations between scar characteristics by cardiac magnetic resonance and changes in left ventricular ejection fraction in primary prevention defibrillator recipients

Scar burden and characteristics were strong determinants, independent of baseline LVEF and other traditional cardiovascular risk factors, of changes in LVEF. Both worsened LVEF and high scar extent were associated with a trend toward increased risk of appropriate shock. These findings suggest that baseline cardiac magnetic resonance imaging of the myocardial substrate may provide important prognostic information on subsequent left ventricular remodeling and adverse events.