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.

Differences between patient-driven adherence to vitamin K antagonists and direct oral anticoagulants. Do few missed doses matter? ACO-MEMS Study.

INTRODUCTION: Lack of INR controls might affect the adherence to direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC). The vast majority of studies that addresses adherence to anticoagulants are retrospective and based on pharmacy refill data. Our aim was to compare the adherence between vitamin K antagonists (VKA) and DOAC and to analyze the clinical relevance of non-adherence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective two-arm observational cohort study was performed in two Spanish public hospitals. Adherence was assessed by Medication Event Monitoring System. Relationship between adherence and events during follow-up and time in therapeutic range (TTR) in the VKA group were analyzed. RESULTS: 257 patients were included (132 DOAC and 125 VKA). Monitoring time was 120 days (101-133). Patients in VKA group showed higher taking adherence (97.9% vs. 95.8%) and less non-adherent patients of >5% and >10% of the doses, without differences in >20% of the doses. Taking adherence was strongly associated with TTR (AUC: 0.89, CI 95%: 0.81-0.97 of TTR for detection of non-adherent patients of >10% of doses). During a follow-up of 1.8 years (1.6-2) non-adherent patients of >5% of doses presented more thromboembolic events (HR 6.1, CI95% 1.3-28.1). CONCLUSIONS: Although adherence to oral anticoagulant therapy was excellent, it was higher to VKA than to DOAC. Time in therapeutic range was highly sensitive to few missed doses of AVK. Non-adherence of >5% of prescribed doses had high clinical relevance.