Mechanics Behind the Pump: Pathophysiological Insights and Data-Driven Signatures of Cardiac Function

The research investigates how cardiac motion and deformation relate to standard measures of heart health in a community cohort of 69-year-olds with minimal overt cardiovascular disease. Using cardiac magnetic resonance feature-tracking, the work evaluates myocardial mechanics alongside cardiac troponin T, late gadolinium enhancement, extracellular volume, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and left ventricular mass index (LVMI). Analyses combining statistical techniques and machine learning with explainable AI showed that myocardial injury and scarring linked to poorer strain and diminished contraction synchrony. Furthermore, diffuse fibrosis exhibited non-linear associations with strain, and integrated assessments exposed distinct mechanical profiles connected to LVEF and LVMI.