Scientific article
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Relapse Patterns and Clinical Outcomes in Cardiac Sarcoidosis : Insights from a Retrospective Single-Center Cohort Study

Published inJournal of clinical medicine, vol. 14, no. 17, 6234
First online date2025-09-03
Abstract

Background/Objectives: Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is a granulomatous inflammatory cardiomyopathy with heterogeneous presentations, from palpitations to heart failure and sudden cardiac arrest. Despite advances in imaging and immunosuppressive (IS) therapy, relapse patterns and long-term outcomes remain poorly defined. This study aimed to characterize relapse and identify predictors of relapse and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in a real-world CS cohort. Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 25 adults diagnosed with CS at Geneva University Hospitals between 2016 and 2024, classified per the 2024 American Heart Association diagnostic criteria. Relapse was defined as clinical, arrhythmic, or imaging deterioration requiring treatment escalation. MACE included cardiovascular hospitalization, device therapy, left ventricular assist device, heart transplant, or death. Statistical methods included Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank tests and multivariable Cox regression adjusted for age and sex. Results: Relapse occurred in 13 patients (56%), frequently subclinical (61.5%) and detected incidentally on routine PET-CT during IS tapering. In the multivariate model, predictors of relapse included right ventricular FDG uptake (aHR 13.1; 95% CI 1.3-133.7; p = 0.03) and second-line immunosuppression duration ≤24 months (aHR 20.1; 95% CI 1.1-363.8; p = 0.04). Relapse-free patients were more often maintained on dual or triple IS therapy (71.4% vs. 15.4%; p = 0.02) and low-dose prednisone (<10 mg/day) (57.1% vs. 7.7%; p = 0.03). Conclusions: Relapse is common in CS, often subclinical, and associated with PET-CT findings and premature IS tapering. Maintenance therapy may reduce risk. Multimodal imaging remains critical for disease monitoring, though tracers with higher specificity are needed. Further research should refine relapse definitions and support personalized treatment strategies.

Keywords
  • Cardiac sarcoidosis
  • Granulomatous inflammation
  • Immunosuppressive therapy
  • Major adverse cardiac events
  • Positron emission tomography
  • Relapse
Citation (ISO format)
DOMINATI, Arnaud et al. Relapse Patterns and Clinical Outcomes in Cardiac Sarcoidosis : Insights from a Retrospective Single-Center Cohort Study. In: Journal of clinical medicine, 2025, vol. 14, n° 17, p. 6234. doi: 10.3390/jcm14176234
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Additional URL for this publicationhttps://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/14/17/6234
Journal ISSN2077-0383
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Creation10/11/2025 14:13:53
First validation22/12/2025 10:01:12
Update22/12/2025 10:01:12
Status update22/12/2025 10:01:12
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