Fig. 1

Inclusion procedure and investigations at baseline and during follow-up. Eighty-six patients with MFS and 40 age- and sex matched controls were included in the study. At baseline all subjects underwent physical examination, resting and ambulatory ECG, cardiac ultrasound and dosing of NT-proBNP. In patients with MFS these investigations were repeated twice, in a mean period of 30 ± 7 months and TSH level was determined at the end of the study. Additionally, a subset of 45 patients underwent cardiac MRI with angiography and measurement of PWV. Eighty-two patients completed all 3 visits. Three patients died during study, 2 of them after completing the 3rd visit. Two patients declined further participation after the 1st visit and 1 patient could not attend the last visit. AECG ambulatory ECG, ECG electrocardiogram, MFS Marfan syndrome, MRI magnetic resonance image