An observational study in Myocarditis, Cardiac Sarcoidosis and Pericarditis, sponsored by Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern. Completed at 1 site in Switzerland. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-06.
Sponsored by Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern · Observational
Inflammatory cardiomyopathies are associated with inflammation and impaired function of the heart muscle and encompass myo- and pericarditis and cardiac sarcoidosis. Due to the heterogeneity of the clinical manifestations, establishing the diagnosis and prediction of outcome is challenging. Specifically for myocarditis, it is associated with acute and chronic heart failure and sudden cardiac death.
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) allows imaging of tissue characteristics (i.e. edema and fibrosis). CMR is the primary diagnostic tool in myocarditis and can also be used for differentiating other inflammatory diseases. Beside the presence of edema, also hyperemia/capillary leak, fibrosis and myocardial function can be assessed and quantified.
Previous studies demonstrated the prognostic role of CMR features beyond traditional markers of LV function, but are limited to smaller cohorts and single-center studies. Furthermore, CMR is a rapidly developing modality and as new features of the modality become available, additional research is needed to identify which combination of parameters optimize risk stratification of this heterogenous inflammatory cardiomyopathy.
Hence, the goal of the registry is to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic role of clinical techniques in inflammatory cardiomyopathies, particularly CMR, and which combination of features provide the highest potential. This analysis will include new advanced CMR techniques but will also assess the role of other techniques that may be more cost-efficient and more widely available, which could be used as a precursor to CMR imaging exams.
Inflammatory cardiomyopathies, like myocarditis and cardiac sarcoidosis are associated with inflammation of the heart muscle and or pericardium, which is the likely cause of impaired function of the myocardium. Clinical presentation of these diseases present high variability - from asymptomatic cases to patients with cardiac arrest or severe heart failure. Due to the heterogeneity of the clinical manifestations, establishing the diagnosis and prognosis remains challenging.
Due to its high spatial resolution and excellent tissue characterization (i.e. the identification of edema and fibrosis), cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is the cornerstone in the workup of acute myocarditis and can also be used for differentiating other inflammatory diseases. One of the main criteria for the non-invasive diagnosis of myocarditis has been the Lake Louise Criteria (LLC), where specifically the inclusion of edema and fibrosis as assessed by CMR are necessary to make the diagnosis of myocarditis. The first recommendations released in 2009 indicated 2 of 3 of the following criteria were needed; presence of edema, hyperemia/capillary leak and/or fibrosis. More recently, 2018 updated guidelines are broadened to non-ischemic inflammation to include sarcoidosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and a variety of types of myocarditis. These criteria now include a 2 of 2 criteria with at least one T2-based (edema) and one T1-based (necrosis/fibrosis mostly) criterion, which can be supported by pericardial effusion or systolic LV wall motion abnormalities.
Further, CMR has been reported to be a very strong prognosticator. Traditional markers such as late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), assessed in CMR are outcome predictors for future adverse cardiac events in myocarditis patients. Similar findings have been shown in sarcoidosis as well. However, CMR is a rapidly developing modality and as new features of the modality frequently become available, additional research is needed to identify the best combination of parameters for risk stratification in patients with inflammatory.
CMR feature tracking (CMR-FT) is a developing contrast-free quantitative method that uses cine images in routinely acquired CMR scanning and it is able to quantify systolic and diastolic myocardial deformation in different orientations. CMR-FT has recently been shown to have diagnostic and prognostic value beyond ejection fraction in patients with coronary artery disease or dilated cardiomyopathy. Recently, the investigators could show in collaboration with the Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard Medical School that myocardial strain using CMR-FT provides independent and incremental prognostic value over clinical features, ejection fraction and scar (LGE) in patients with myocarditis. CMR-FT may serve as a novel marker to improve risk stratification in myocarditis. Yet this has not yet been investigated yet with parametric mapping techniques, nor with other inflammatory cardiomyopathies.
The goal of the registry is to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic role of clinical techniques in inflammatory cardiomyopathies, particularly CMR, and which combination of features provide the highest potential. This analysis will include new advanced CMR techniques like feature tracking and T1- and T2 mapping but will also assess the role of other techniques that may be more cost-efficient and more widely available, which could be used as a precursor to CMR imaging exams. Further, other imaging modalities such as echocardiography and nuclear imaging (I.e. Positron Emission Tomography) and computed tomography (CT) findings will be assessed and associated with biomarkers and outcome.
174 studies on the registry are indexed under Myocarditis; 75 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 1,125 is above the median of 208 across 120 observational studies indexed under Myocarditis.
Browse Myocarditis studies →Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern is the lead sponsor of 741 studies on the registry; 180 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Patients referred to CMR for suspected/known inflammatory cardiomyopathy and/or diagnosed inflammatory cardiomyopathy from CMR findings
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusions:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Patients referred to CMR for suspected/known inflammatory cardiomyopathy and/or diagnosed inflammatory cardiomyopathy from CMR findings
LV (left ventricle) and RV (right ventricle) function as assessed by CMR feature tracking as predictor for MACE (major adverse cardiac Event)
Global and regional longitudinal (%), circumferential (%) and radial (%) strain measurements are used to quantify LV and RV function. MACE is defined as a composite of sustained ventricular tachycardia, recurrent myocarditis, hospitalization for heart failure and all-cause death all-cause death.
Time frame: 5 years
LV and RV tissue characterization as assessed by T1 and T2 mapping as predictor for MACE
Global and regional tissue characteristics are assessed by repetitive T1 and T2 mapping (global and regional T1 and T2 time (ms)). MACE is defined as a composite of major cardiovascular endpoints listed above.
Time frame: 5 years
Presence of myocardial fibrosis and scar as predictor for MACE
Global and regional myocardial tissue is characterized by gadolinium contrast agent application. The presence and extent (% and total mass (g)) of late gadolinium enhancement is evaluated as a predictor for MACE.
Time frame: 5 years
Prognostic impact of sports cessation in acute myocarditis
Sports behaviour is assessed by repetitive self-evaluating questionnaires before and after diagnosis of acute myocarditis. Sports cessation (total vs. partial vs. no cessation) is evaluated as a predictor of MACE.
Time frame: Repetitive questionnaire at baseline, after 6 and 12 months as well as after 5 years
Prognostic impact of fragmented QRS in acute myocarditis
Presence and persistence of fragmented QRS as measured by repetitive electrocardiogram is evaluated as a predictor for MACE.
Time frame: 5 years
Ran from Jan 2005 to primary completion in Dec 2025, 251 months.
Of 70 non-industry observational studies under Myocarditis, half reached primary completion within 69 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 20 and three quarters within 251. This study's 251 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 71 studies reached it within 69 months; a quarter within 20 and three quarters within 251.
Completion moved once since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026: Dec 2026 → Oct 2026, on Nov 6, 2026.
Earlier changes are on the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is completed, as verified in Nov 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern →