Amyloid cardiomyopathy in a large integrated health care system.

BACKGROUND: Light Chain (AL) and transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis are the most common forms of amyloid cardiomyopathy. Population based studies describing the epidemiology and clinical features of amyloid cardiomyopathy are often based in tertiary medical centers and thus may be limited by referral bias. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a cohort study of 198 patients diagnosed and treated in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health care system who had a confirmed diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis between 2001 and 2016. Associations between demographic, clinical, laboratory and imaging data and patient outcomes were quantified using multivariable Cox proportional hazard models for both the AL and ATTR groups. The average length of follow up was 2.8 years (SD 2.9 years) and overall survival was 69.1 percent at one year and 35.4 percent at five years. In the AL group, lower left ventricular ejection fraction (HR 1.33 per 5-point decrease, P < .001), coronary artery disease (HR 3.56, P < .001), and diabetes mellitus (HR 3.19, P < .001) were associated with all-cause mortality. Increasing age at the time of diagnosis with associated with higher all-cause mortality in both the AL and ATTR groups. Higher levels of B-type natriuretic peptide were associated with all-cause mortality in both groups: Top quartile BNP HR 6.17, P < .001 for AL and HR 8.16, P = .002 for ATTR. CONCLUSIONS: This study describes a large cohort of patients with amyloid cardiomyopathy derived from a community based, integrated healthcare system and describes demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics associated with mortality and heart failure hospitalization. In this population, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and high BNP levels were strongly associated with mortality.

Prognostic value of normal regadenoson stress perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

BACKGROUND: Regadenoson is a vasodilator stress agent that selectively activates the A2A receptor. Compared to adenosine, regadenoson is easier to administer and results in fewer side effects. Although extensively studied in patients undergoing nuclear perfusion imaging (MPI), its use for perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is not well described. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of a normal regadenoson perfusion CMR in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. METHODS: Patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease were prospectively enrolled to receive perfusion CMR (Philips 1.5 T) with regadenoson. Three short-axis slices of the left ventricle (LV) were obtained during first pass of contrast using a hybrid GRE-EPI pulse sequence (0.075 mmol/kg Gadolinium-DTPA-BMA at 4 ml/sec). Imaging was performed 1 minute after injection of regadenoson (0.4 mg) and repeated 15 minutes after reversal of hyperemia with aminophylline (125 mg). Perfusion defects were documented if they persisted for ≥ 2 frames after peak enhancement of the LV cavity. CMR was considered abnormal if there was a resting wall motion abnormality, decreased LVEF (<40%), presence of LGE, or the presence of a perfusion defect during hyperemia. All patients were followed for a minimum of 1 year for major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) defined as coronary revascularization, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular death. RESULTS: 149 patients were included in the final analysis. Perfusion defects were noted in 43/149 (29%) patients; 59/149 (40%) had any abnormality on CMR. During the mean follow-up period of 24 ± 9 months, 17/149 (11.4%) patients experienced MACE. The separation in the survival distributions for those with perfusion defects and those without perfusion defects was highly significant (log-rank p = 0.0001). When the absence of perfusion defects was added to the absence of other resting CMR abnormalities, the negative predictive value improved from 96% to 99%. CONCLUSION: Regadenoson perfusion CMR provides high confidence for excellent prognosis in patients with normal perfusion.

Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score at Presentation Predicts Survival in Patients Treated With Percutaneous Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study sought to investigate demographic, clinical, and procedural determinants of outcomes in patients treated with percutaneous veno-arterial (VA) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) initiated in the cardiac catheterization laboratory with a portable system. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients treated with percutaneous VA-ECMO during the study period at our institution. A logistic regression model was applied to investigate the association between sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score and survivor status. Fisher's exact test was used to examine the association between survivor status and cannula size (15 Fr vs >15 Fr). RESULTS: Percutaneous VA-ECMO was initiated in 25 patients. At 30 days, 10 patients were alive (40%). Fifteen patients had cardiac arrest (CA) prior to ECMO initiation, of which 5 were alive at 30 days (33%). Survivors had a lower baseline median SOFA score (9 vs 16; P=.02; odds ratio, 0.577). Use of a smaller cannula was associated with survival (P=.01). There was an association between the size of the arterial cannula and increased blood transfusions (P<.01). CONCLUSIONS: Lower presenting SOFA score and smaller cannula size were associated with increased survival in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) or CA who underwent percutaneous VA-ECMO placed in the cardiac catheterization laboratory using a portable system. Calculation of the SOFA score at presentation may help physicians determine which patients may derive benefit from ECMO. Smaller cannula size, while decreasing the amount of flow, may result in decreased bleeding and increased survival.

Mechanistic insights and characterization of sickle cell disease-associated cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in sickle cell disease (SCD). We sought to characterize sickle cell cardiomyopathy using multimodality noninvasive cardiovascular testing and identify potential causative mechanisms. METHODS AND RESULTS: Stable adults with SCD (n=38) and healthy controls (n=13) prospectively underwent same day multiparametric cardiovascular magnetic resonance (cine, T2* iron, vasodilator first pass myocardial perfusion, and late gadolinium enhancement imaging), transthoracic echocardiography, and applanation tonometry. Compared with controls, patients with SCD had severe dilation of the left ventricle (124±27 vs 79±12 mL/m(2)), right ventricle (127±28 vs 83±14 mL/m(2)), left atrium (65±16 vs 41±9 mL/m(2)), and right atrium (78±17 vs 56±17 mL/m(2); P<0.01 for all). Patients with SCD also had a 21% lower myocardial perfusion reserve index than control subjects (1.47±0.34 vs 1.87±0.37; P=0.034). A significant subset of patients with SCD (25%) had evidence of late gadolinium enhancement, whereas only 1 patient had evidence of myocardial iron overload. Diastolic dysfunction was present in 26% of patients with SCD compared with 8% in controls. Estimated filling pressures (E/e', 9.3±2.7 vs 7.3±2.0; P=0.0288) were higher in patients with SCD. Left ventricular dilation and the presence of late gadolinium enhancement were inversely correlated to hepatic T2* times (ie, hepatic iron overload because of frequent blood transfusions; P<0.05 for both), whereas diastolic dysfunction and increased filling pressures were correlated to aortic stiffness (augmentation pressure and index, P<0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Sickle cell cardiomyopathy is characterized by 4-chamber dilation and in some patients myocardial fibrosis, abnormal perfusion reserve, diastolic dysfunction, and only rarely myocardial iron overload. Left ventricular dilation and myocardial fibrosis are associated with increased blood transfusion requirements, whereas left ventricular diastolic dysfunction is predominantly correlated with increased aortic stiffness. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01044901.