Development and Validation of a Prediction Model and Score for Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis Diagnosis: T-Amylo.

BACKGROUND: Although transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) is often underdiagnosed, clinical suspicion is essential for early diagnosis. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a feasible prediction model and score to facilitate the diagnosis of ATTR-CA. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter study enrolled consecutive patients who underwent 99mTc-DPD scintigraphy for suspected ATTR-CA. ATTR-CA was diagnosed if Grade 2 or 3 cardiac uptake was evidenced on 99mTc-DPD scintigraphy in the absence of a detectable monoclonal component or by demonstration of amyloid by biopsy. A prediction model for ATTR-CA diagnosis was developed in a derivation sample of 227 patients from 2 centers using multivariable logistic regression with clinical, electrocardiography, analytical, and transthoracic echocardiography variables. A simplified score was also created. Both of them were validated in an external cohort (n = 895) from 11 centers. RESULTS: The obtained prediction model combined age, gender, carpal tunnel syndrome, interventricular septum in diastole thickness, and low QRS interval voltages, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.92. The score had an AUC of 0.86. Both the T-Amylo prediction model and the score showed a good performance in the validation sample (ie, AUC: 0.84 and 0.82, respectively). They were tested in 3 clinical scenarios of the validation cohort: 1) hypertensive cardiomyopathy (n = 327); 2) severe aortic stenosis (n = 105); and 3) heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (n = 604), all with good diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: The T-Amylo is a simple prediction model that improves the prediction of ATTR-CA diagnosis in patients with suspected ATTR-CA.

Influence of Cardiovascular Risk in the Prediction and Timing of Cardiac Events After Exercise Echocardiogram Testing Without Ischemia.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: There have been no analyses of the influence of cardiovascular risk as a predictor of events in patients with exercise echocardiography (EE) without ischemia. Our objective was to determine the predictors of cardiac events, paying special attention to cardiovascular risk. METHODS: This study included 1640 patients with EE without ischemia. Of these, there were 1206 with no previously known coronary artery disease (CAD), whose risk of a fatal cardiovascular disease event was estimated according to the European SCORE (Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation) risk assessment system, and 434 with known CAD. The primary endpoint was cardiac event-free survival (EFS) (cardiac death, nonfatal acute coronary syndrome, and coronary revascularization). RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 35 [23-54] months, no differences were found in cardiac EFS between patients with a SCORE ≥ 10 or diabetes and patients with previous CAD (89.8% vs 87.1%). In the first year, cardiac EFS was high in all groups (99.4% if SCORE < 5; 100% if 5-9; 98% if ≥ 10 or diabetes and 97% in patients with CAD). In the third year, cardiac EFS was similar in the group with SCORE ≥ 10 or diabetes (94.5%) and patients with CAD (91.1%, P = NS). In these patients, the annualized event rate was 2.8% and 2.55%, respectively, and was significantly higher than in groups with SCORE < 5 (0.6%) and SCORE 5-9 (0.12%). The most frequent events were non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome and late revascularization. Predictors of cardiac events were previous CAD, SCORE ≥ 10 or diabetes mellitus, creatinine clearance, left ventricular ejection fraction, and chest pain during EE. CONCLUSIONS: Initial outcome after an EE without ischemia is favorable but is subsequently modulated by cardiovascular risk.

Influencia del riesgo cardiovascular en la predicción y el momento de aparición de eventos cardiacos tras ecocardiograma de esfuerzo sin isquemia / Influence of cardiovascular risk in the prediction and timing of cardiac events after exercise echocardiogram testing without ischemia

Introducción y objetivos: La influencia del riesgo cardiovascular en el pronóstico de pacientes con ecocardiograma de esfuerzo (EE) sin isquemia inducible no se ha evaluado. El objetivo es determinar predictores de eventos, con especial atención al riesgo cardiovascular. Métodos: Se incluyó a 1.640 pacientes con EE sin isquemia: 1.206 sin cardiopatía isquémica (CI), cuyo riesgo de muerte cardiovascular se estimó según el SCORE (Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation) europeo, y 434 con CI. El objetivo primario fue la supervivencia libre de eventos (SLEv) (muerte cardiaca, síndrome coronario agudo no fatal y revascularización en el seguimiento). Resultados: Tras una mediana de seguimiento de 35 [23-54] meses, no hubo diferencias significativas entre la SLEv de los pacientes con SCORE ? 10 o diabetes y pacientes con CI (el 89,8 frente al 87,1%). Al año la SLEv era alta en todos los grupos (el 99,4% si SCORE < 5; el 100% si SCORE 5-9; el 98% si SCORE ? 10 o diabetes y el 97% si CI), con un descenso a los 3 años si SCORE ? 10 o diabetes (94,5%), similar al de los pacientes con CI (91,1%, diferencias no significativas). Las tasas de eventos anualizadas fueron del 2,8 y el 2,55% respectivamente, significativamente superiores a las de los grupos con SCORE < 5 (0,6%) y 5-9 (0,12%). Los eventos más frecuentes fueron el síndrome coronario agudo sin elevación del segmento ST no fatal y la revascularización. Fueron predictores de eventos cardiacos: la CI conocida, un SCORE ? 10 o diabetes, el aclaramiento de creatinina, la fracción eyección del ventrículo izquierdo y el dolor durante la EE. Conclusiones: Un EE sin isquemia implica buen pronóstico inicial, posteriormente modulado por el riesgo cardiovascular (AU)

Introduction and objectives: There have been no analyses of the influence of cardiovascular risk as a predictor of events in patients with exercise echocardiography (EE) without ischemia. Our objective was to determine the predictors of cardiac events, paying special attention to cardiovascular risk. Methods: This study included 1640 patients with EE without ischemia. Of these,there were 1206 with no previously known coronary artery disease (CAD), whose risk of a fatal cardiovascular disease event was estimated according to the European SCORE (Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation) risk assessment system, and 434 with known CAD. The primary endpoint was cardiac event-free survival (EFS) (cardiac death, nonfatal acute coronary syndrome, and coronary revascularization). Results: After a median follow-up of 35 [23-54] months, no differences were found in cardiac EFS between patients with a SCORE 10 or diabetes and patients with previous CAD (89.8% vs 87.1%). In the first year, cardiac EFS was high in all groups (99.4% if SCORE < 5; 100% if 5-9; 98% if 10 or diabetes and 97% in patients with CAD). In the third year, cardiac EFS was similar in the group with SCORE 10 or diabetes (94.5%) and patients with CAD (91.1%, P = NS). In these patients, the annualized event rate was 2.8% and 2.55%, respectively, and was significantly higher than in groups with SCORE < 5 (0.6%) and SCORE 5-9 (0.12%). The most frequent events were non—ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome and late revascularization. Predictors of cardiac events were previous CAD, SCORE 10 or diabetes mellitus, creatinine clearance, left ventricular ejection fraction, and chest pain during EE. Conclusions: Initial outcome after an EE without ischemia is favorable but is subsequently modulated by cardiovascular risk (AU)