scholarly journals Amyloidosis with Cardiac Involvement: Identification, Characterization, and Management

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faizi Jamal ◽  
Michael Rosenzweig
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Amyloidosis ◽  
Systemic Disease ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Diagnostic Algorithm ◽  
Transthyretin Amyloidosis ◽  
Cardiac Amyloid ◽  
Medical Interventions ◽  
Light Chain Disease ◽  
Organ Response ◽  
New Treatment

Abstract Purpose of Review Amyloidosis is a protein deposition disease whereby a variety of precursor proteins form insoluble fibrils that deposit in tissues, causing organ dysfunction and, many times, death. Accurate characterization of the disease based on the nature of the precursor protein, organ involvement, and extent of disease is paramount to guide management. Cardiac amyloidosis is critical to understand because of its impact on prognosis and new treatment options available. Recent Findings New imaging methods have proven to be considerably valuable in the identification of cardiac amyloid infiltration. For treating clinicians, a diagnostic algorithm for patients with suspected amyloidosis with or without cardiomyopathy is shown to help classify disease and to direct appropriate genetic testing and management. For patients with light chain disease, recently introduced treatments adopted from multiple myeloma therapies have significantly extended progression-free and overall survival as well as organ response. In addition, new medical interventions are now available for those with transthyretin amyloidosis. Summary Although cardiac amyloidosis contributes significantly to the morbidity and mortality associated with systemic disease, new tools are available to assist with diagnosis, prognosis, and management.

scholarly journals Current Challenges of Cardiac Amyloidosis Awareness Among Romanian Cardiologists

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Adam ◽  
Gabriela Neculae ◽  
Claudiu Stan ◽  
Ruxandra Jurcut
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Amyloidosis ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Delayed Diagnosis ◽  
Diagnostic Algorithm ◽  
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy ◽  
Transthyretin Amyloidosis ◽  
Cardiac Symptom ◽  
Important Challenge ◽  
New Treatment

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is a restrictive cardiomyopathy characterized by deposition of amyloid in the myocardium and recent studies revealed it is more frequently seen than we thought. Advances have been made over the last years, but a delayed diagnosis is frequently seen. An online survey was conducted among cardiologists from Romania representing the first assessment of the knowledge of CA among them with 195 cardiologists answering the questionnaire. There was a wide variation in their knowledge regarding CA. Our participants had few experience with CA and reported a significant delay between first cardiac symptom and diagnosis. Around one half of them did not seem familiar with the noninvasive diagnostic algorithm and with the wild-type transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRwt). Even the participants who are aware of this condition and the available treatment options stated this is a rare disease and there is no disease modifying treatment available for ATTRwt. Awareness among cardiologists is the most important challenge in diagnosing CA. Romanian cardiologists are partially aware of this topic, but there are still gaps in their knowledge. Educational programs can improve screening of patients with a high suspicion for this progressive condition whose evolution has been dramatically changed by the new treatment options.

scholarly journals Diagnosis of Cardiac Amyloidosis Using Non-Invasive Technics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Strickler ◽  
Ernest Tsiaze ◽  
Gerrit Hellige ◽  
Dominik Zumstein ◽  
Dominik Waldmeier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Amyloidosis ◽  
Al Amyloidosis ◽  
Definite Diagnosis ◽  
Diagnostic Features ◽  
Transthyretin Amyloidosis ◽  
Cardiac Amyloid ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Amyloid Accumulation ◽  
Clinically Significant ◽  
Multiorgan Disease

Amyloidosis is a rare multiorgan disease defined by a process of irreversible, extracellular accumulation of fibrillar proteins in the tissues, including the heart. Cardiac involvement is seen in most forms of amyloidosis, but it is frequently present and clinically significant in light chain (AL)-amyloidosis as well as transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR). Cardiac amyloid accumulation leads to a restrictive filling pattern, which must be differentiated from other forms of restrictive and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies due to consequences for the treatment. Evolving knowledge of the disease has led to a definite diagnosis of the cardiac amyloidosis (CA) using non-invasive and low-risk diagnostic features, such as scintigraphy (gamma scan) and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging using late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and T1 mapping technics. The availability and diagnostic accuracy of these technics has reduced the need for cardiac biopsy. In the following chapter, we will describe common types of CA, the basic concepts, and updates of non-invasive diagnostic features.

Immunomodulation in Autoimmune Interstitial Lung Disease

Respiration ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 99 (10) ◽  
pp. 819-829
Author(s):  
Benjamin Seeliger ◽  
Antje Prasse
Keyword(s):  
Interstitial Lung Disease ◽  
Lung Disease ◽  
Systemic Disease ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Interstitial Lung Diseases ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Established Disease ◽  
Synthetic Dmards ◽  
New Treatment ◽  
Underlying Diseases

Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) associated with autoimmune or systemic disease are increasingly recognized and our pathophysiological understanding rapidly expanding. Treatment modalities, however, are still mainly driven by established disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) where, despite decades of experience of their use in the underlying diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, mostly ret­rospective data exist informing their effect on the course of interstitial lung disease (ILD). In recent years, randomized trials investigating the effects of biological DMARDs (bDMARDs) have been completed or are currently running, generating new treatment options for often relentlessly progressive diseases. Herein, we summarize the evidence and current use of both synthetic DMARDs and bDMARDs in the context of ILDs associated with autoimmune/systemic disease.

scholarly journals Are we creating a new phenotype? Physiological barriers and ethical considerations in the treatment of hereditary transthyretin-amyloidosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maike F. Dohrn ◽  
Jessica Medina ◽  
Karmele R. Olaciregui Dague ◽  
Ernst Hund
Keyword(s):  
Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Systemic Disease ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Great Success ◽  
Transthyretin Amyloidosis ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Liver Disease Progression ◽  
Allele Specific ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
To Come

AbstractHereditary transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis (ATTRv) is an autosomal dominant, systemic disease transmitted by amyloidogenic mutations in the TTR gene. To prevent the otherwise fatal disease course, TTR stabilizers and mRNA silencing antisense drugs are currently approved treatment options. With 90% of the amyloidogenic protein produced by the liver, disease progression including polyneuropathy and cardiomyopathy, the two most prominent manifestations, can successfully be halted by hepatic drug targeting or—formerly—liver transplantation. Certain TTR variants, however, favor disease manifestations in the central nervous system (CNS) or eyes, which is mostly associated with TTR production in the choroid plexus and retina. These compartments cannot be sufficiently reached by any of the approved medications. From liver-transplanted patients, we have learned that with longer lifespans, such CNS manifestations become more relevant over time, even if the underlying TTR mutation is not primarily associated with such. Are we therefore creating a new phenotype? Prolonging life will most likely lead to a shift in the phenotypic spectrum, enabling manifestations like blindness, dementia, and cerebral hemorrhage to come out of the disease background. To overcome the first therapeutic limitation, the blood–brain barrier, we might be able to learn from other antisense drugs currently being used in research or even being approved for primary neurodegenerative CNS diseases like spinal muscular atrophy or Alzheimer’s disease. But what effects will unselective CNS TTR knock-down have considering its role in neuroprotection? A potential approach to overcome this second limitiation might be allele-specific targeting, which is, however, still far from clinical trials. Ethical standpoints underline the need for seamless data collection to enable more evidence-based decisions and for thoughtful consenting in research and clinical practice. We conclude that the current advances in treating ATTRv amyloidosis have become a meaningful example for mechanism-based treatment. With its great success in improving patient life spans, we will still have to face new challenges including shifts in the phenotype spectrum and the ongoing need for improved treatment precision. Further investigation is needed to address these closed barriers and open questions.

Unfolding Cardiac Amyloidosis –From Pathophysiology to Cure

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (16) ◽  
pp. 2865-2878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klemens Ablasser ◽  
Nicolas Verheyen ◽  
Theresa Glantschnig ◽  
Giulio Agnetti ◽  
Peter P. Rainer
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Disease ◽  
Cardiac Remodeling ◽  
Cardiac Amyloidosis ◽  
Amyloid Fibrils ◽  
Amyloid Deposition ◽  
Transthyretin Amyloidosis ◽  
Cardiac Amyloid ◽  
Amyloidogenic Proteins ◽  
Preclinical Trials ◽  
Current Therapies

Deposition of amyloidogenic proteins leading to the formation of amyloid fibrils in the myocardium causes cardiac amyloidosis. Although any form of systemic amyloidosis can affect the heart, light-chain (AL) or transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) account for the majority of diagnosed cardiac amyloid deposition. The extent of cardiac disease independently predicts mortality. Thus, the reversal of arrest of adverse cardiac remodeling is the target of current therapies. Here, we provide a condensed overview on the pathophysiology of AL and ATTR cardiac amyloidoses and describe treatments that are currently used or investigated in clinical or preclinical trials. We also briefly discuss acquired amyloid deposition in cardiovascular disease other than AL or ATTR.

scholarly journals Cardiac Amyloidosis – An Underdiagnosed Cause of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction – Updated Diagnosis and Treatment Options

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 283-302
Author(s):  
Roxana Cristina RIMBAS ◽  
Anca BALINISTEANU ◽  
Alexandra Maria CHITROCEANU ◽  
Dragos VINEREANU
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Ejection Fraction ◽  
Cardiac Amyloidosis ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Preserved Ejection Fraction ◽  
Transthyretin Amyloidosis ◽  
Diagnosis And Prognosis ◽  
Step Algorithm ◽  
Immunoglobulin Light Chain Amyloidosis

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) still represents a frequently missed cause of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In the light of many new and effective therapies for immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis (AL) and for transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR), screening for amyloidosis as an important and potentially treatable diagnosis under the HFpEF becomes mandatory. A step-by-step algorithm for CA in HF patients was already provided by the guidelines. This review summarizes the role of all imaging modalities and biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of both subtypes, thealgorithm for diagnosis of CA, and new therapeutic options. It is the first Romanian publication which intends to bring altogether the current recommendations in the diagnosis and management of CA.

scholarly journals Cardiac Amyloid — An Update

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason N Dungu ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Cardiac Amyloidosis ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Nuclear Imaging ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Accurate Method ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Cardiac Amyloid ◽  
Attr Amyloidosis ◽  
Inappropriate Treatment

Cardiac amyloidosis is a condition characterised by rapidly progressive heart failure and poor prognosis. The two main subtypes, immunoglobulin light chains (AL) and transthyretin (ATTR), have been investigated extensively in recent years. Cardiac imaging has advanced with the widespread use of cardiac MRI with late gadolinium enhancement imaging and newer techniques including T1 mapping to quantify amyloid burden. Nuclear imaging has developed as a highly accurate method to confirm cardiac amyloid deposits non-invasively with very high sensitivity in ATTR amyloidosis. Despite advances in imaging, cardiac biopsy remains the gold standard diagnostic test to confirm and type amyloidosis. Hereditary ATTR amyloidosis of V122I type has been the focus of important studies in the past year, due to the high prevalence of the amyloidogenic allele in patients of African descent. Recent research concluded a significant number of Afro-Caribbean heart failure patients are likely to have undiagnosed cardiac amyloidosis. Misdiagnosis may lead to inappropriate treatment with potentially harmful ‘standard’ heart failure medications with no evidence base in amyloidosis. Treatment options have, until recently, been limited but cardiac amyloidosis is the focus of novel therapeutic regimes. New insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms resulting in disease have suggested exciting targets for drug therapy.

Management of thoracic aortic lesions - the future is endovascular

VASA ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 163-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weidenhagen ◽  
Bombien ◽  
Meimarakis ◽  
Geisler ◽  
A. Koeppel
Keyword(s):  
Thoracic Aorta ◽  
Clinical Decision Making ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Clinical Results ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Traumatic Rupture ◽  
Descending Thoracic Aorta ◽  
New Treatment ◽  
Aneurysm Dissection

Open surgical repair of lesions of the descending thoracic aorta, such as aneurysm, dissection and traumatic rupture, has been the “state-of-the-art” treatment for many decades. However, in specialized cardiovascular centers, thoracic endovascular aortic repair and hybrid aortic procedures have been implemented as novel treatment options. The current clinical results show that these procedures can be performed with low morbidity and mortality rates. However, due to a lack of randomized trials, the level of reliability of these new treatment modalities remains a matter of discussion. Clinical decision-making is generally based on the experience of the vascular center as well as on individual factors, such as life expectancy, comorbidity, aneurysm aetiology, aortic diameter and morphology. This article will review and discuss recent publications of open surgical, hybrid thoracic aortic (in case of aortic arch involvement) and endovascular repair in complex pathologies of the descending thoracic aorta.

A Genomic Approach to Characterize the Vulnerable Patient – a Clinical Update

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-144
Author(s):  
Evelin Szabó ◽  
Zsolt Parajkó ◽  
Diana Opincariu ◽  
Monica Chițu ◽  
Nóra Raț ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Myocardial Ischemia ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Ischemic Heart ◽  
Pathophysiological Mechanism ◽  
Ischemia And Reperfusion Injury ◽  
Myocardial Ischemia And Reperfusion ◽  
Vulnerable Patient ◽  
Traditional Risk Factors ◽  
New Treatment

Abstract Atherosclerosis is the elemental precondition for any cardiovascular disease and the predominant cause of ischemic heart disease that often leads to myocardial infarction. Systemic risk factors play an important role in the starting and progression of atherosclerosis. The complexity of the disease is caused by its multifactorial origin. Besides the traditional risk factors, genetic predisposition is also a strong risk factor. Many studies have intensively researched cardioprotective drugs, which can relieve myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury, thereby reducing infarct size. A better understanding of abnormal epigenetic pathways in the myocardial pathology may result in new treatment options. Individualized therapy based on genome sequencing is important for an effective future medical treatment. Studies based on multiomics help to better understand the pathophysiological mechanism of several diseases at a molecular level. Epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic research may be essential in detecting the pathological phenotype of myocardial ischemia and ischemic heart failure.

Proteomic Analysis of the Vitreous Body in Proliferative and Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Van-An Duong ◽  
Jeeyun Ahn ◽  
Na-Young Han ◽  
Jong-Moon Park ◽  
Jeong-Hun Mok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetic Retinopathy ◽  
Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy ◽  
Microvascular Complications ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Vitreous Body ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Protein Protein Interaction ◽  
Alpha Beta ◽  
New Treatment

Background: Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), one of the major microvascular complications commonly occurring in diabetic patients, can be classified into Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR) and Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR). Currently available therapies are only targeted for later stages of the disease in which some pathologic changes may be irreversible. Thus, there is a need to develop new treatment options for earlier stages of DR through revealing pathological mechanisms of PDR and NPDR. Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterize proteomes of diabetic through quantitative analysis of PDR and NPDR. Methods: Vitreous body was collected from three groups: control (non-diabetes mellitus), NPDR, and PDR. Vitreous proteins were digested to peptide mixtures and analyzed using LC-MS/MS. MaxQuant was used to search against the database and statistical analyses were performed using Perseus. Gene ontology analysis, related-disease identification, and protein-protein interaction were performed using the differential expressed proteins. Results: Twenty proteins were identified as critical in PDR and NPDR. The NPDR group showed different expressions of kininogen-1, serotransferrin, ribonuclease pancreatic, osteopontin, keratin type II cytoskeletal 2 epidermal, and transthyretin. Also, prothrombin, signal transducer and activator of transcription 4, hemoglobin subunit alpha, beta, and delta were particularly up-regulated proteins for PDR group. The up-regulated proteins related to complement and coagulation cascades. Statherin was down-regulated in PDR and NPDR compared with the control group. Transthyretin was the unique protein that increased its abundance in NPDR compared with the PDR and control group. Conclusion: This study confirmed the different expressions of some proteins in PDR and NPDR. Additionally, we revealed uniquely expressed proteins of PDR and NPDR, which would be differential biomarkers: prothrombin, alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein, hemoglobin subunit alpha, beta, and transthyretin.

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