Coronary Microvascular Rarefaction and @entity296 in XXXX with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

@entity1 @entity296 @entity712 @entity82 @entity1283 @entity299 @entity453 @entity204 @entity1002
BACKGROUND: -Characterization of myocardial structural changes in @entity712 ( @entity712 ) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has been hindered by limited availability of @entity1 cardiac tissue. @entity1283 , @entity453 ( @entity453 ), coronary microvascular rarefaction and @entity296 may contribute to HFpEF pathophysiology. METHODS AND RESULTS: -We identified HFpEF @entity1 (n=124) and age-appropriate control @entity1 ( @entity204 , no @entity712 diagnosis; n=104) who underwent autopsy. Heart weight and @entity453 severity were obtained from the autopsy reports. Using whole field digital microscopy and automated analysis algorithms in full thickness left ventricular (LV) sections, microvascular density (MVD), @entity296 and their relationship were quantified. Subjects with HFpEF had heavier hearts (median 538 g; 169% of age/sex/body size expected heart weight vs. 335 g; 112% in controls), more severe @entity453 (65% with >=  one vessel with >50% diameter stenosis in HFpEF vs 13% in controls), more LV @entity82 (median % area @entity82 , 9.6 vs. 7.1) and lower MVD (median 961 vs. 1316 vessels per mm(2)) than control (p <0.0001 for all). @entity296 increased with decreasing MVD in controls (r = - 0.28, p=0.004) and HFpEF (r = - 0.26, p=0.004). Adjusting for MVD attenuated the group differences in @entity82 . Heart weight, @entity82 and MVD were similar in HFpEF @entity1 with vs without @entity453 . CONCLUSIONS: -In this study, @entity1 with HFpEF had more @entity1283 , @entity453 , coronary microvascular rarefaction and @entity296 than controls. Each of these findings may contribute to the @entity1002 and @entity299 characteristic of HFpEF.
