Background—Silent myocardial infarctions (MIs) are prevalent among diabetic patients and inflict significant morbidity and mortality. Although late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) can provide sensitive characterization of myocardial scar, its prognostic significance in diabetic patients without any clinical evidence of MI is unknown.

Methods and Results—We performed clinically indicated CMR imaging in 187 diabetic patients who were grouped by the absence (study group, n=109) or presence (control group, n=78) of clinical evidence of MI (clinical history of MI or Q waves on ECG). CMR imaging and follow-up were successful in 107 study patients (98%) and 74 control patients (95%). Cox regression analyses were performed to associate LGE with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including death, acute MI, new congestive heart failure or unstable angina, stroke, and significant ventricular arrhythmias. LGE by CMR was present in 30 of 107 study patients (28%). At a median follow-up of 17 months, 38 of 107 patients (36%) experienced MACE, which included 18 deaths. Presence of LGE was associated with a >3-fold hazards increase for MACE and for death (hazard ratio, 3.71 and 3.61; P<0.001 and P=0.007, respectively). Adjusted to a model that combines patient age, sex, ST or T changes on ECG, and left ventricular end-systolic volume index, LGE maintained a >4-fold hazards increase for MACE (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.74 to 9.79; P=0.001). In addition, LGE provided significant prognostic value with MACE and with death adjusted to a diabetic-specific risk model for 5-year events. The presence of LGE was the strongest multivariable predictor of MACE and death by stepwise selection in the study patients.

Conclusions—CMR imaging can characterize occult myocardial scar consistent with MI in diabetic patients without clinical evidence of MI. This imaging finding demonstrates strong association with MACE and mortality hazards that is incremental to clinical, ECG, and left ventricular function combined.