Enrique Santas, Walter Paulus, Julio Núñez, Patrick Rossignol, Josep Lupón, Felipe Bisbal, Antoni Bayes-Genis, Heart Institute, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Instituto de Salud Carlos III [Madrid] (ISC), Universitat de València (UV), Centre d'investigation clinique plurithématique Pierre Drouin [Nancy] (CIC-P), Centre d'investigation clinique [Nancy] (CIC), Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Nancy (CHRU Nancy)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Nancy (CHRU Nancy)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Université de Lorraine (UL), Défaillance Cardiovasculaire Aiguë et Chronique (DCAC), Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Nancy (CHRU Nancy)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Université de Lorraine (UL), Cardiovascular and Renal Clinical Trialists [Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy] (INI-CRCT), Institut Lorrain du Coeur et des Vaisseaux Louis Mathieu [Nancy], French-Clinical Research Infrastructure Network - F-CRIN [Paris] (Cardiovascular & Renal Clinical Trialists - CRCT ), Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, AB-G was supported by the Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII) [PI17/01487, PI18/00256, and PIC18/00014], Spanish Cell Therapy Network (TerCel) [RD16/0011/0006 and RD16/011/0028], CIBER Cardiovascular [CB16/11/00403 and 16/11/00420] projects, as a part of the National R&D&I Plan, and it was co-funded by ISCIII-Sub-Directorate General for Research Assessment and the Promotion and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). PR was supported by the RHU Fight-HF, a public grant overseen by the French National Research Agency (ANR) as part of the second 'Investissements d’Avenir' program (reference: ANR-15-RHUS-0004) and by the French PIA project 'Lorraine Université d’Excellence' (reference: ANR-15-IDEX-04-LUE)., ANR-15-RHUS-0004,FIGHT-HF,Combattre l'insuffisance cardiaque(2015), ANR-15-IDEX-0004,LUE,Isite LUE(2015), BOZEC, Erwan, Combattre l'insuffisance cardiaque - - FIGHT-HF2015 - ANR-15-RHUS-0004 - RHUS - VALID, ISITE - Isite LUE - - LUE2015 - ANR-15-IDEX-0004 - IDEX - VALID, Cardiology Service, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Universidad de Valencia, INCLIVA, Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Nancy (CHRU Nancy)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Nancy (CHRU Nancy)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), and ANR-15-IDEX-0004,LUE (ISITE),Lorraine Université d'Excellence(2016)
International audience; To better understand heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), we need to better characterize the transition from asymptomatic pre-HFpEF to symptomatic HFpEF. The current emphasis on left ventricular diastolic dysfunction must be redirected to microvascular inflammation and endothelial dysfunction that leads to cardiomyocyte remodeling and enhanced interstitial collagen deposition. A pre-HFpEF patient lacks signs or symptoms of heart failure (HF), has preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) with incipient structural changes similar to HFpEF, and possesses elevated biomarkers of cardiac dysfunction. The transition from pre-HFpEF to symptomatic HFpEF also involves left atrial failure, pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular dysfunction, and renal failure. This review focuses on the non-left ventricular mechanisms in this transition, involving the atria, right heart cavities, kidneys, and ultimately the currently accepted driver-systemic inflammation. Impaired atrial function may decrease ventricular hemodynamics and significantly increase left atrial and pulmonary pressure, leading to HF symptoms, irrespective of left ventricle (LV) systolic function. Pulmonary hypertension and low right-ventricular function are associated with the incidence of HF. Interstitial fibrosis in the heart, large arteries, and kidneys is key to the pathophysiology of the cardiorenal syndrome continuum. By understanding each of these processes, we may be able to halt disease progression and eventually extend the time a patient remains in the asymptomatic pre-HFpEF stage.