Effects of quinapril on left atrial structural remodeling and arterial stiffness.

Left atrial (LA) enlargement, left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction, and increased arterial stiffness are all associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The rate, magnitude, and concordance of modifiability of these risk markers have not been well characterized. Twenty-one patients (mean age 69 +/- 8 years; 52% women) with isolated diastolic dysfunction and indexed LA volumes > or =32 ml/m(2) were randomly assigned to receive either quinapril at a target dose of 60 mg/day or matching placebo for 12 months. Echocardiographic maximum LA volume and LV diastolic function and arterial stiffness by the augmentation index were measured at baseline and 6 and 12 months. Analysis was based on intention to treat. Baseline characteristics were comparable between the treatment (n = 9) and placebo (n = 12) groups. The mean reduction in LA volume of 4.2 +/- 7.8 ml/m(2) in the quinapril group was significant (p = 0.01) compared with the increase in LA volume in the placebo group (5.5 +/- 8.1 ml/m(2)). This represents a relative improvement of 9.7 ml/m(2). Change in LV filling pressure in terms of E/e' and diastolic function grade did not reach significance. A reduction in the augmentation index was associated with a decrease in indexed LA volume (odds ratio 11, p = 0.046), independent of changes in systolic blood pressure. In conclusion, LA structural remodeling appeared reversible with quinapril, which occurred in parallel with an improvement in arterial stiffness but independent of blood pressure changes.

Utility of Doppler myocardial imaging, cardiac biomarkers, and clonal immunoglobulin genes to assess left ventricular performance and stratify risk following peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in patients with systemic light chain amyloidosis (Al).

BACKGROUND: Cardiac dysfunction is a well-recognized complication of light chain amyloidosis (AL). Autologous stem cell transplant (auto-SCT) has emerged as a successful treatment modality for AL patients. In this study, we examined the effect of clonal immunoglobulin light chain genes (VL), which encodes the immunoglobulin light chain protein that ultimately forms amyloid, on cardiac function, in the context of auto-SCT and its impact on overall survival. METHODS: Longitudinal Doppler myocardial imaging parameters along with cardiac biomarkers were used to assess for cardiac function pre and post auto-SCT. RESULTS: VL gene analysis revealed that Vl genes, in particular VlVI, were associated with worse cardiac function parameters than Vk genes. Clonal VL genes appeared to have an impact on left ventricular (LV) function post-transplant and also influenced mortality, with specific VL gene families associated with lower survival. Another key predictor of mortality in this report was change in tricuspid regurgitant flow velocity following auto-SCT. Correlations were also observed between systolic strain rate, systolic strain and VL genes associated with amyloid formation. CONCLUSIONS: Clonal VL gene usage influences global cardiac function in AL, with patients having VlVI and VlII-III-associated amyloid more severely affected than those having Vk or VlI amyloid. Pulsed wave tissue Doppler imaging along with immunoglobulin gene analysis offers novel insights into prediction of mortality and cardiac dysfunction in AL after auto-SCT.