BACKGROUND
With increasing diagnoses and available treatment options for transthyretin amyloidosis cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), risk stratification of ATTR-CM patients is imperative.
OBJECTIVES
We hypothesized that diuretic dose and New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class are independent predictors of mortality in ATTR-CM and would be incrementally additive to existent risk scores.
METHODS
Consecutive ATTR-CM patients referred to a single center were identified. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards models determined the association between diuretic dose (furosemide equivalent in mg/kg) at time of diagnosis and the primary outcome of all-cause mortality. The incremental value of adding diuretic dose and NYHA functional class to existing ATTR-CM risk scores was assessed for discrimination and calibration.
RESULTS
309 patients were identified, with mean age 73.2 ± 9.8 years, 84.1% male, and 66% wild type. Daily mean diuretic dose was 0.6 ± 1.0 mg/kg and significantly associated with all-cause mortality (unadjusted hazard ratio: 2.12 per 1-mg/kg increase, [95% confidence interval: 1.71 to 2.61] and fully adjusted hazard ratio: 1.43 [95% confidence interval: 1.06 to 1.93]). Testing previously published ATTR risk scores, adding diuretic dose as categories (0 mg/kg, >0 to 0.5 mg/kg, >0.5 to 1 mg/kg, and >1 to 2 mg/kg) improved the area under the curve of the Mayo risk score from 0.693 to 0.767 and the UK risk score from 0.711 to 0.787 while preserving calibration. Adding NYHA functional class further improved the area under the curve to 0.798 and 0.816, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Diuretic dose and NYHA functional class are independent predictors of mortality in ATTR-CM patients and provide incremental value to existing ATTR-CM risk scores.
There is conflicting evidence whether heart failure (HF) is a risk factor for incident cancer. Despite population-based cohorts demonstrating this association, an analysis of the Physician's Health Study found no association in a cohort of mostly healthy males. We investigated the association of HF with incident cancer among a large cohort of post-menopausal women.
Increasing evidence suggests a multifaceted relationship exists between cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Here, we introduce a 5-tier classification system to categorize cardio-oncology syndromes (COS) that represent the aspects of the relationship between cancer and CVD. COS Type I is characterized by mechanisms whereby the abrupt onset or progression of cancer can lead to cardiovascular dysfunction. COS Type II includes the mechanisms by which cancer therapies can result in acute or chronic CVD. COS Type III is characterized by the pro-oncogenic environment created by the release of cardiokines and high oxidative stress in patients with cardiovascular dysfunction. COS Type IV is comprised of CVD therapies and diagnostic procedures which have been associated with promoting or unmasking cancer. COS Type V is characterized by factors causing systemic and genetic predisposition to both CVD and cancer. The development of this framework may allow for an increased facilitation of cancer care while optimizing cardiovascular health through focused treatment targeting the COS type.
Background
Despite the belief that heart failure therapies are not effective in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis, data are limited. We tested the association of neurohormonal blockade use with survival.
Methods and Results
A total of 309 consecutive patients with transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis were identified. Medication inventory was obtained at baseline and subsequent visits. Exposure included a neurohormonal blockade class (β‐blocker [βB], angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker, and mineralocorticoid antagonist) at baseline and subsequent visits. βB was modeled as baseline use, time‐varying use, and in an inverse probability treatment weighted model. Primary outcome was all‐cause mortality analyzed with adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. Continuing compared with stopping βB during follow‐up was tested. Mean age was 73.2 years, 84.1% were men, and 17.2% had atrial fibrillation/flutter at baseline. At the time of study entry, 49.8% were on βBs, 35.0% were on angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, and 23.9% were on mineralocorticoid antagonists. For the total cohort, there was a trend toward harm in the unadjusted model for baseline βB use, but this was neutral after adjustment. When βB use was analyzed as a time‐varying exposure, there was no association with mortality. βB discontinuation was associated with decreased mortality for the total cohort. Findings were consistent in inverse probability treatment weighted models. For angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker or mineralocorticoid antagonist use, there was no association with mortality after adjustment for the total cohort.
Conclusions
There was no association of neurohormonal blockade use with survival in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis. For the total cohort, deprescribing βB may be associated with improved survival. Additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.