OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to assess coronary arterial remodeling as a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis using coronary wall MRI in an asymptomatic population-based cohort. BACKGROUND In early atherosclerosis, compensatory enlargement of both the outer wall of the vessel as well as the lumen, termed compensatory enlargement or positive remodeling, occurs before luminal narrowing. METHODS 179 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) were evaluated using black-blood coronary wall MRI. Coronary cross-sectional area (vessel size), lumen area, and mean wall thickness of the proximal coronary arteries were measured. RESULTS Men had a greater vessel size, lumen area, and mean wall thickness than women (38.3±11.3 versus 32.6±9.4 mm2, 6.7±3.2 versus 5.3±2.4 mm2, and 2.0±0.3 versus 1.9±0.3 mm, respectively, p<0.05). No significant coronary artery narrowing was present by magnetic resonance angiography. Overall, coronary vessel size increased 25.9 mm2 per millimeter increase in coronary wall thickness, while lumen area increased only slightly at 3.1 mm2 for every millimeter increase in wall thickness (difference in slopes, p<0.0001). Adjusting for age and gender, participants with Agatston score greater than zero were more likely to have wall thickness greater than 2.0 mm (odds ratio 2.0, 95% CI 1.01–3.84). CONCLUSIONS Coronary wall MRI detected positive arterial remodeling, in asymptomatic men and women with subclinical atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND We report relationships of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors with myocardial structure, function and scar in patients with type 1 diabetes in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (DCCT/EDIC) study. METHODS and RESULTS Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) was obtained in 1017 patients with type 1 diabetes. Gadolinium CMR was also obtained in 741 patients. The mean age was 49 ± 7 years, 52% were men, and mean diabetes duration was 28± 5 years. Associations of CVD risk factors with CMR parameters were examined using linear and logistic regression models. History of macroalbuminuria was positively associated with LV mass (by +14.8 g) leading to a significantly higher LV mass/EDV ratio (by 8%). Mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels over the preceding 22 years were inversely associated with end-diastolic volume (−3.0 ml per unit mean HbA1c %) and stroke volume (−2.3 ml per unit mean HbA1c %) and positively related to elevated LV mass/EDV ratio (0.02 g/ml per unit). The overall prevalence of myocardial scar was 4.3% by CMR and 1.4% by clinical adjudication of myocardial infarction. Both mean HbA1c (Odds ratio (O.R.) 1.5 [1.0–2.2] per unit) and macroalbuminuria (OR 3.5 [1.2–9.9]) were significantly associated with myocardial scar as well as traditional CVD risk factors. CONCLUSIONS In addition to traditional CVD risk factors, elevated mean HbA1c and macroalbuminuria were significantly associated with alterations in LV structure and function. The prevalence of myocardial scar was 4.3% in this subcohort of DCCT/EDIC participants with relatively preserved renal function.