Towards Better Definition, Quantification and Treatment of Fibrosis in Heart Failure. A Scientific Roadmap by the Committee of Translational Research of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the European Society of Cardiology
Why the study?
A lack of pathophysiological insights and uniform definitions has hampered research in fibrosis and heart failure.
Design
Review and scientific roadmap
Authors
Discussion
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Member takes
Implication
Does not support changing HF management based on fibrosis; leaves open precise diagnostics and therapies via targeted research.
Key Points
- To outline a scientific roadmap clarifying the pathophysiological mechanisms, diagnostic limitations, and therapeutic strategies for fibrosis across different stages of heart failure.
- Expert consensus panel convened by the Translational Research Committee of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the European Society of Cardiology.
- Comprehensive review and qualitative synthesis of preclinical and clinical evidence regarding fibrotic etiologies, biomarker utility, imaging tools, and anti-fibrotic interventions.
- Cardiac fibrosis displays high pathophysiological heterogeneity triggered by varied insults, ranging from subclinical inflammation, aging, and hypertension to acute events like myocardial infarction and myocarditis.
- Available diagnostic techniques, including serum biomarkers and cardiac imaging modalities, identify only specific subforms of fibrosis and fail to capture the full spectrum of tissue remodeling.
- Current anti-fibrotic agents target broad, non-specific biological pathways, indicating an unmet need for precision therapies aligned with defined fibrotic phenotypes.
Structured PICO
P
Population
Patients with heart failure and cardiac fibrosis
This scientific roadmap highlights the complexity of cardiac fibrosis in heart failure and calls for more precise diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
Cite This Study
Boer et al. (2019) studied this question.