The goal of the MAESTRIA is to develop and validate the first integrative digital platform for the diagnostic of cardiomyopathy and to improve diagnostic accuracy, treatment effectiveness as well as prevention of atrial fibrillation and stroke, the two complications of the atrial cardiomyopathy.
The project is organized in eight WPs, from upstream research to deployment of applicable digital diagnostic platform and including ethics, valorisation, and network management.
• WP1, validation of multimodality imaging biomarkers. Progress has been achieved towards the sharing of clinical and scan data between partners to join the ORFAN Study to validate the atrial score. Implementation, training, and validation of a deep neural network for AI-based dynamic multimodality segmentation and atrial strain has been realized as well as the collection, and expert annotations of 1400 cine MRI loops of the heart and 2100 cine loops. A robust pseudonymisation tool is now available that will be used for the prospective study (WP4).
• WP2, electrophysiological parameters as biomarkers of the atrial cardiomyopathy. Progress have been made in linking molecular mechanisms of atrial cardiomyopathy to electrophysiological abnormalities by detailed analyzing of biological data of the Catch-ME cohort. The prospective clinical study, CATS AF designed to confront intra cardiac electrical mapping with MRI imaging has started with the recruitment of the first patients with de novo AF.
• WP3, the discovery of new biomarker of the atrial cardiomyopathy. The study of immune cell subpopulations involved in atrial cardiomyopathy is progressing well using single cell transcriptomic approach and experimental models of atrial cardiomyopathy (collaboration Boston, Paris). It is possible to analyze using PET imaging, DFA storage specifically in the atria opening now perspective to study the impact of metabolism on atrial functional properties. Epicardial adipose tissue is a source of inflammasome that could be a potential biomarker of the atrial cardiomyopathy.
• WP4, prospective patient cohort to validate multimodality biomarkers. The consortium agreement has been signed by the 18 partners. Processes for patient recruitment as well as the various core labs to centralize clinical data are now setup. Patient recruitment has started with a rate of inclusion of patients in line with the project mile stones.
• WP5, implementation of the MAESTRIA demonstrator. All legal, organizational, and operational aspects of the MAESTRIA demonstrator are setup. Fist multimodality analysis have been conducted using MRI and echocardiography imaging.
• WP 6, dissemination. The consortium has been well visible through its website and thanks to the number of articles published by MAESTRIA partner as well as their active participations to congresses, conferences and workshops.
• WP7, project management. Maestria is managed by a core management team and weekly meetings are held for this purpose. In addition, coordination between the work packages is ensured through monthly meetings to monitor the project's progress. Maestria has also so far organised two annual meetings with a large number of participants and with good results in terms of consortium building and organisation of work.
• WP8, Ethics requirement. A delay should be noted in submitting the corresponding deliverables. However, the ethical board is now fully operational and has reorganized the transfer of information from the partners of the consortium and from the WP leader on ethics items, which will facilitate the finalisation of the remaining deliverables
