The recent decades have ushered in considerable advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of systemic light chain (AL) amyloidosis. As disease outcomes improve, AL amyloidosis-unrelated factors may impact mortality. In this study, we evaluated survival trends and primary causes of death among 2337 individuals with AL amyloidosis referred to the Boston University Amyloidosis Center. Outcomes were analyzed according to date of diagnosis: 1980-1989 (era 1), 1990-1999 (era 2), 2000-2009 (era 3), and 2010-2019 (era 4). Overall survival increased steadily with median values of 1.4, 2.6, 3.3, and 4.6 years for eras 1–4, respectively (P < 0.001). Six-month mortality decreased over time from 23% to 13%. Wide gaps in survival persisted amid patient subgroups; those with age at diagnosis ≥70 years had marginal improvements over time. Most deaths were attributable to disease-related factors, with cardiac failure (32%) and sudden unexpected death (23%) being the leading causes. AL amyloidosis-unrelated mortality increased across eras (from 3% to 16% of deaths) and with longer-term survival (29% of deaths occurring >10 years after diagnosis). Under changing standards of care, survival improved and early mortality declined over the last 40 years. These findings support a more optimistic outlook for patients with AL amyloidosis.

In marked contrast to multiple myeloma, racial/ethnic minorities are underrepresented in publications of systemic light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. The impact of race/ethnicity is therefore lacking in the narrative of this disease. To address this gap, we compared disease characteristics, treatments, and outcomes across racial/ethnic groups in a referred cohort of patients with AL amyloidosis from 1990 to 2020. Among 2416 patients, 14% were minorities. Non-Hispanic Blacks (NHBs) comprised 8% and had higher-risk sociodemographic factors. Hispanics comprised 4% and presented with disproportionately more BU stage IIIb cardiac involvement (27% vs. 4–17%). At onset, minority groups were younger in age by 4–6 years. There was indication of more aggressive disease phenotype among NHBs with higher prevalence of difference between involved and uninvolved free light chains >180 mg/L (39% vs. 22–33%, P = 0.044). Receipt of stem cell transplantation was 30% lower in Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic White (NHWs) on account of sociodemographic and physiologic factors. Although the age/sex-adjusted hazard for death among NHBs was 24% higher relative to NHWs (P = 0.020), race/ethnicity itself did not impact survival after controlling for disease severity and treatment variables. These findings highlight the complexities of racial/ethnic disparities in AL amyloidosis. Directed efforts by providers and advocacy groups are needed to expand access to testing and effective treatments within underprivileged communities.

Hematologic complete response (hemCR) in AL amyloidosis requires absence of monoclonal protein by immunofixation electrophoreses (IFE) and normal serum free light chain ratio (FLCR). Recent literature suggests that an involved free light chain (iFLC) <20 mg/L or difference in free light chains (dFLC) <10 mg/L may more accurately predict outcomes after treatment. We evaluated overall survival in 340 patients treated with high-dose melphalan and stem cell transplantation (SCT). Of 305 patients evaluable 6 months after SCT, 90 (30%) achieved hemCR, 132 (43%) dFLC <10 mg/L, 118 (39%) iFLC <20 mg/L, and 176 (58%) normal FLCR. Of 215 patients without hemCR, 65 (30%) had dFLC <10 mg/L and 86 (40%) had normal FLCR. Overall survival (OS) in those achieving dFLC <10 mg/L or normal FLCR without hemCR was inferior to those achieving hemCR (p = 0.013 and p = 0.001). OS was not significantly different in patients achieving iFLC <20 mg/L without hemCR compared with hemCR (p = 0.243). Of those with hemCR, OS was not significantly improved if dFLC <10 mg/L was also achieved (p = 0.852), but OS was improved for those with hemCR who also attained iFLC <20 mg/L (p = 0.009). Multivariate analysis demonstrated absence of monoclonal protein in IFE and iFLC <20 mg/L as independent predictors of survival. Attainment of hemCR remains a treatment goal, although achieving iFLC <20 mg/L may also predict improved OS.

Aim: To examine improvement in the use of optimal medical therapy (OMT) for secondary prevention in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and diabetes.Materials and Methods: Patients with ASCVD (coronary, cerebrovascular, peripheral) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol of 70 mg/dl or higher were enrolled from December 2016 to July 2018 from 107 US sites/physicians (47% cardiology, 41% primary care, 12% other) and prospectively followed for 2 years (current analysis restricted to subgroup with diabetes). OMT was defined as high-intensity lipid-lowering (high-intensity statin, any statin + ezetimibe, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor), antithrombotic (antiplatelet or anticoagulant), angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blocker/angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor (ACE-I/ARB/ARNI) (excluding glomerular filtration rate [GFR] < 30 ml/min/1.73m 2 ) and sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i)/glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) (excluding GFR < 30 ml/min/1.73m 2 and type 1 diabetes).Results: Among 1590 patients with ASCVD and diabetes (96% type 2 diabetes), 58% were on high-intensity lipid-lowering therapy at the end of follow-up, 87% antithrombotic, 71% ACE-I/ARB/ARNI and 17% SGLT2i/GLP-1 RA. Overall, 11% of patients received comprehensive OMT, which modestly improved over time (vs. 8% at baseline; P = .002). Patients treated by cardiologists (vs. non-cardiologists) were more likely to be on high-intensity lipid lowering, but less likely to be on an SGLT2i/ GLP-1 RA, and thus had lower rates of composite OMT (7.8% vs. 13.7%, P < .001). In a hierarchical multivariable model, older age was associated with lower odds of OMT (OR 0.74 per 10 years, 95% CI 0.60-0.90), whereas private insurance (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.32-2.84) and coronary disease (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.01-2.61) were associated with higher odds. The median odds ratio was 1.82 (95% CI 1.03-7.32), indicating a moderate variability in OMT use, independent of patient factors.

Background: Natural history studies, which describe changing disease outcomes under real-world clinical practice, can help support drug development for rare diseases by defining appropriate endpoints for clinical trials. The current study provides natural history information on survival and mortality in light chain (AL) amyloidosis, a rare disease that was historically considered inevitably fatal. With the recent expansion of effective therapeutics, patients with this disease are living longer, which in turn necessitates a better understanding of the factors leading to death in later disease course. Aims: To evaluate (1) trends in overall survival (OS) over time and (2) primary causes of death across the course of AL amyloidosis disease. Methods: We identified 2,337 patients diagnosed with systemic AL amyloidosis between 1980 and 2019 from the prospectively maintained database at the Boston University Amyloidosis Center (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00898235). Disease outcomes were analyzed according to date of tissue diagnosis: 1980-1989 (era 1, n = 185), 1990-1999 (era 2, n = 575), 2000-2009 (era 3, n = 865) and 2010-2019 (era 4, n =712). Survival information was verified through yearly clinical evaluations, contact by phone/letter for patients who did not return for follow-up, or the U.S. Social Security Death Index if contact was not established. We defined deaths as AL amyloidosis-related when clinical data indicated organ progression or complications from plasma cell-directed therapy. Deaths occurring while in remission, off treatment and without evidence of organ progression were considered disease-unrelated. Results: OS increased steadily across eras 1-4 with median values of 1.4, 2.6, 3.3 and 4.6 years, respectively (P &lt; .001). Six-month mortality decreased over time from 23% to 13%. Notably, median age at diagnosis increased from 59 to 63 years (P &lt; .001), and time interval to diagnosis from patient-reported symptom onset shortened from 10 months to 6 months (P = .065). At data cutoff (October 2020), 1,660 (71%) patients had died. Primary cause of death was ascertainable for 1,160 (70%) cases. Organ failure was most common, accounting for 564 (49%) deaths, amongst which cardiac failure predominated. Sudden unexpected death was the next most frequent cause, contributing to 266 (23%) deaths. Together, cardiac failure and sudden death decreased in proportion with longer survival from diagnosis, representing 67% (236/354) of deaths occurring within ≤6 months; 56% (322/575) within &gt;6 months to ≤5 years; 36% (54/151) within &gt;5 years to ≤10 years; and 36% (29/80) after &gt;10 years (P &lt; .001). Meanwhile, renal failure and infections emerged as important causes of later-occurring deaths. There was sufficient data on 1,243 (75%) deaths to assign relation to AL amyloidosis. The vast majority were disease-related. Yet, disease-unrelated deaths increased with longer survival from diagnosis, accounting for 2% (9/373) of deaths occurring within ≤6 months; 8% (48/616) within &gt;6 months to ≤5 years; 16% (25/161) within &gt;5 years to ≤10 years; and 29% (27/93) after &gt;10 years (P &lt; .001). Conclusions: Under changing standards of care, OS improved and early mortality declined over the last 40 years, supporting a much-improved outlook for current and future patients with AL amyloidosis. Cardiac failure and sudden deaths decreased across the course of disease. Even so, progression of amyloidosis remained a top cause of death even among long-term survivors. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Sanchorawala: Takeda: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Prothena: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Caelum: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Regeneron: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Proclara: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Honoraria; Karyopharm: Research Funding.