2021 Update on Safety of Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Joint Statement From Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance/Canadian Heart Rhythm Society

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often considered the gold-standard test for characterizing cardiac as well as noncardiac structure and function. However, many patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) and/or severe renal dysfunction are unable to undergo this test because of safety concerns. In the past 10 years, newer-generation CIEDs and gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) as well as coordinated care between imaging and heart rhythm device teams have mitigated risk to patients and improved access to MRI at many hospitals. The purpose of this statement is to review published data on safety of MRI in patients with conditional and nonconditional CIEDs in addition to patient risks from older and newer GBCAs. This statement was developed through multidisciplinary collaboration of pan-Canadian experts after a relevant and independent literature search by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health. All recommendations align with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Key recommendations include: (1) the development of standardized protocols for patients with a CIED undergoing MRI; (2) patients with MRI nonconditional pacemakers and pacemaker dependency should be programmed to asynchronous mode and those with MRI nonconditional transvenous defibrillators should have tachycardia therapies turned off during the scan; and (3) macrocyclic or newer linear GBCAs should be used in preference to older GBCAs because of their better safety profile in patients at higher risk of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis.     

Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists Harmonized Clinical Laboratory Lipid Reporting Recommendations on the Basis of the 2021 Canadian Cardiovascular Society Lipid Guidelines

There is limited guidance on laboratory reporting and interpretation of lipids and lipoproteins used in cardiovascular risk stratification. This contributes to inconsistencies in lipid reporting across clinical laboratories. Recently, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) published the 2021 CCS guidelines for the management of dyslipidemia for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in the adult. A subcommittee of the Working Group on Reference Interval Harmonization of the Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists has developed harmonized lipid reporting recommendations that are aligned with the 2021 CCS guidelines, to improve the standardization of lipid assessment and clinical decision-making. The proposed harmonized lipid reporting recommendations were critically reviewed by a broad range of laboratory and clinical experts across Canada. Feedback from approximately 30 expert reviewers was reviewed by the Working Group on Reference Interval Harmonization lipid subcommittee, and consensus decisions were incorporated into the 2021 harmonized lipid reporting recommendations. In this position statement, we provide 6 recommendations for laboratory reporting of lipid parameters. These recommendations include implementing the new National Institutes of Health equation to replace the Friedewald equation for calculating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, offering lipoprotein (a), either as an in-house or send-out test, and using assays that report lipoprotein (a) in molar units (nmol/L). We also developed a harmonized lipid reporting format with interpretive comments that includes flagging results based on screening patients using treatment decision thresholds in a primary prevention setting. Overall, harmonized lipid reporting will help bridge the gap between clinical guideline recommendations and clinical laboratory reporting and interpretation, and will improve cardiovascular risk assessment across Canada.     

Canadian guidelines for training in adult perioperative transesophageal echocardiography. Recommendations of the Cardiovascular Section of the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society and the Canadian Society of Echocardiography

PURPOSE: To establish Canadian guidelines for training in adult perioperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). METHODS: Guidelines were established by the Canadian Perioperative Echocardiography Group with the support of the cardiovascular section of the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society in conjunction with the Canadian Society of Echocardiography. Guidelines for training in echocardiography by the American Society of Echocardiography, the American College of Cardiology and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists were reviewed, modified and expanded to produce the 2003 Quebec expert consensus for training in perioperative echocardiography. The Quebec expert consensus and the 2005 guidelines for the provision of echocardiography in Canada formed the basis of the Canadian training guidelines in adult perioperative TEE. RESULTS: Basic, advanced and director levels of expertise were identified. The total number of echocardiographic examinations to achieve each level of expertise remains unchanged from the 2002 American Society of Echocardiography and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists guidelines. The increased proportion of examinations personally performed at basic and advanced levels, as well as the level of autonomy at the basic level suggested by the Quebec expert consensus are retained. These examinations may be performed in a perioperative setting and are not limited to intraoperative TEE. Training 'on-the-job', the role of the perioperative TEE examination, the requirements for maintenance of competence and the duration of training are also discussed for each level of training. The components of a TEE report and comprehensive TEE examination are also outlined. CONCLUSION: The Canadian guidelines for training in adult perioperative TEE reflect the unique Canadian practice profile in perioperative TEE and address the training requirements to obtain expertise in this field.     

Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance of Myocarditis

Within the past decade, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has led to unprecedented growth in our understanding of myocarditis. From what began as a diagnostic tool for assessing ventricular function, CMR has transitioned into visualizing changes that occur in myocardial tissue during inflammation, including edema, hyperemia/inflammation, and fibrosis. In terms of research applications, the entire spectrum ranging from subclinical to fulminant myocarditis can be visualized, as well as unmasking myocarditis from other cardiomyopathies. The impact of CMR in clinical applications is best exemplified by recent findings demonstrating that CMR is a leading diagnostic tool and may perhaps even be the method of choice for establishing a diagnosis of myocarditis in Germany. With the advent of an International Consensus Group on Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance in Myocarditis and large-scale multicenter registries on CMR-based visualization of myocarditis, further advances aimed at improving clinical decision making and guiding patient therapy are expected.     

Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance for Patients With COVID-19

COVID-19 is associated with myocardial injury caused by ischemia, inflammation, or myocarditis. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is the noninvasive reference standard for cardiac function, structure, and tissue composition. CMR is a potentially valuable diagnostic tool in patients with COVID-19 presenting with myocardial injury and evidence of cardiac dysfunction. Although COVID-19–related myocarditis is likely infrequent, COVID-19–related cardiovascular histopathology findings have been reported in up to 48% of patients, raising the concern for long-term myocardial injury. Studies to date report CMR abnormalities in 26% to 60% of hospitalized patients who have recovered from COVID-19, including functional impairment, myocardial tissue abnormalities, late gadolinium enhancement, or pericardial abnormalities. In athletes post–COVID-19, CMR has detected myocarditis-like abnormalities. In children, multisystem inflammatory syndrome may occur 2 to 6 weeks after infection; associated myocarditis and coronary artery aneurysms are evaluable by CMR. At this time, our understanding of COVID-19–related cardiovascular involvement is incomplete, and multiple studies are planned to evaluate patients with COVID-19 using CMR. In this review, we summarize existing studies of CMR for patients with COVID-19 and present ongoing research. We also provide recommendations for clinical use of CMR for patients with acute symptoms or who are recovering from COVID-19.     

Canadian Cardiovascular Society and Canadian Thoracic Society position statement on pulmonary arterial hypertension

The Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Canadian Thoracic Society requested a position statement on pulmonary arterial hypertension from leading Canadian experts. The present document is intended to act as an update for the clinician, to provide a template for the initial evaluation of patients, to enable understanding of current therapeutic paradigms based on approved indications for Canada, to highlight new therapies on the horizon, and to state the positions of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Canadian Thoracic Society on resource management for pulmonary arterial hypertension in Canada.