Hereditary (ATTRv) and wild-type (ATTRwt) transthyretin amyloidosis are severe and fatal systemic diseases, characterised by amyloid fibrillar accumulation principally in the heart or peripheral nerves (or both). Since 2012, tafamidis has been used in France to treat patients with ATTRv with neuropathy (alone or combined with cardiomyopathy). Recently, the Phase III ATTRACT trial showed that tafamidis decreased the relative risk of mortality in ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy. The aims of this study were to assess the clinical characteristics of ATTR amyloidosis in a real-life population in comparison to the population included in the ATTRACT trial and to assess the impact of tafamidis treatment on major cardiovascular outcome (MCO)-free survival time without cardiac decompensation, heart transplant, or death.

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Aims The prevalence of autonomic neuropathy (AN) is high in patients with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis but remains unknown in transthyretin wild-type cardiac amyloidosis (ATTRwt-CA). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of AN in patients with ATTRwt-CA using Sudoscan®, a non-invasive method used to provide evidence of AN in clinical practice and based on measurement of electrochemical skin conductance at the hands and feet (fESC). Methods and results A series of 62 non-diabetic patients with ATTRwt-CA was prospectively included over 2 years and compared with healthy elderly subjects, matched by age, gender, and body mass index. The presence of AN was defined as electrochemical skin conductance at the hands <60 μS and/or fESC <70 μS, and conductances were analysed according to clinical, biological, and echocardiographic data. Mean fESC was significantly lower in patients with ATTRwt-CA compared with elderly controls: 68.3 (64.1-72.5) vs. 76.9 (75.6-78.1) μS (P < 0.0001), respectively. Prevalence of fESC <70 μS was higher in ATTRwt-CA patients than in controls: 48.4% vs. 19.9%, P < 0.05. Univariate analysis showed that fESC, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, creatinine plasma levels, and echocardiographic global longitudinal strain were associated with decompensated cardiac failure and death. Multivariate analysis revealed that fESC was an independent prognostic factor, and Kaplan-Meier estimator evidenced a greater occurrence of cardiac decompensation and death in patients with fESC <70 μS, P = 0.046. Conclusions Reduced fESC was observed in almost 50% of patients with ATTRwt-CA and was associated with a worse prognosis. Sudoscan® could easily be used to screen ATTRwt-CA patients for the presence of AN and identify patients at higher risk for a poor outcome.

Background Cardiac light chain amyloidosis (AL-CA) patients often die within three months of starting chemotherapy. Chemotherapy for non-immunoglobulin M gammopathy with AL-CA frequently includes bortezomib (Bor), cyclophosphamide (Cy), and dexamethasone (D). We previously reported that NT-ProBNP levels can double within 24h of dexamethasone administration, suggesting a deleterious impact on cardiac function. In this study, we evaluate the role of dexamethasone in early cardiovascular mortality during treatment. Methods and findings We retrospectively assessed 100 de novo cardiac AL patients (62% male, mean age 68 years) treated at our institute between 2009 and 2018 following three chemotherapy regimens: CyBorDComb (all initiated on day 1; 34 patients), DCyBorSeq (D, day 1; Cy, day 8; Bor, day 15; 17 patients), and CyBorDSeq (Cy, day 1; Bor, day 8; D, day 15; 49 patients). The primary endpoint was cardiovascular mortality and cardiac transplantation at days 22 and 455. At day 22, mortality was 20.6% with CyBorDComb, 23.5% with DCyBorSeq, and 0% with CyBorDSeq (p = 0.003). At day 455, mortality was not significantly different between regimens (p = 0.195). Acute toxicity of dexamethasone was evaluated on myocardial function using a rat model of isolated perfused heart. Administration of dexamethasone induced a decrease in left ventricular myocardium contractility and relaxation (p<0.05), supporting a potential negative inotropic effect of dexamethasone in AL-CA patients with severe cardiac involvement. Conclusion Delaying dexamethasone during the first chemotherapy cycle reduces the number of early deaths without extending survival. It is clear that dexamethasone is beneficial in the long-term treatment of patients with AL-CA. However, the initial introduction of dexamethasone during treatment is critical, but may be associated with early cardiac deaths in severe CA. Thus, it is important to consider the dosage and timing of dexamethasone introduction on a patient-severity basis. The impact of dexamethasone in the treatment of AL-CA needs further investigation.

ATTRwt-CA occurs in elderly patients and leads to severe heart failure. The disease mechanism involves cardiac and extracardiac infiltration by amyloid fibrils. The objectives of this study are to describe the frailty phenotype in patients with ATTRwt-CA and to assess the associations between frailty parameters, the severity of cardiac involvement, and the course of amyloid disease. We used multidimensional geriatric tools to prospectively assess frailty in patients with ATTRwt-CA consulting (in 2018–2019) in the French National Reference Center for Cardiac Amyloidosis. We included 36 patients (35 males; median age: 82 years (76–86). A third of the patients were categorized as NYHA class III or IV, and 39% had an LVEF below 45%. The median serum NTproBNP was 3188 (1341–8883) pg/mL. The median duration of amyloidosis was 146 months (73–216). The frequency of frailty was 50% and 33% according to the physical frailty phenotype and the Short Emergency Geriatric Assessment questionnaire, respectively. Frailty affected a large number of domains, namely autonomy (69%), balance (58%), muscle weakness (74%), malnutrition (39%), dysexecutive syndrome (72%), and depression (49%). The severity of CA was significantly associated with many frailty parameters independently of age. Balance disorders and poor mobility were also significantly associated with a longer course of amyloid disease. Frailty is frequent in patients with ATTRwt-CA. Some frailty parameters were significantly associated with a longer course of amyloid disease and CA severity. Taking into account frailty in the assessment and management of ATTRwt should improve patients’ quality of life.

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e19538 Background: Venetoclax (VEN) is an orally bioavailable small molecule inhibitor of the anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2 and has been shown to have efficacy against myeloma (MM), particularly in patients that harbor t(11;14). Approximately, 50% of AL amyloidosis patients will exhibit t(11;14) making VEN an attractive therapeutic option. Methods: We here report the results of a retrospective analysis of a monocentric series of refractory/relapsed (R/R) patients (pts) heavily pretreated with cardiac AL amyloidosis treated in a french academic center. VEN was given daily alone or in association with dexamethasone (DEX), with or without bortezomib (BTZ). Treatment was planned to be administered until progression. Results: Between February 2017 and January 2019, 7 consecutive R/R pts have been treated. All had received previous BTZ and daratumumab (DARA) containing regimen. Baseline characteristics were: median age: 72.7 years (range 40-84), Mayo Clinic stage: stage I in 2 pts, stage II in 3 and stage IIIA in 2. All patients but one had in addition to cardiac deposit, systemic involvement including kidney, joint, neurologic, gastro-intestinal tract, lymph node and muscle. All but one pts were refractory to their last treatment consisting of DARA-DEX with or without IMID. The t(11;14) translocation was present in 5 pts, absent in 1 and undetermined in 1 pts. Two pts had concomitant MM at diagnosis. Median number of previous line treatments was 4 (3-5). Five patients received VEN- BTZ- DEX as described in MM (PMID: 28847998), 1 with DEX and 1 as monotherapy. Five pts received 400 mg/d, one 200 mg/d and one 100 mg/d. Median duration of treatment was 76 days (30-713). All patients but one are still on treatment. One patient treated with 400 mg/d had a dose reduction to 100 mg/d due to grade 2 diarrhea. Four patients received at least 2 cycles and were evaluable for response. One 84 y old patient in stable disease after 1 cycle died due to influenza infection. 2 patients received only one cycle of treatment. Hematological complete response occurred in 2/4 (50%) patients, after 63 and 27 days. Interestingly, responses were sustained as the 2 responders were still on therapy after 76 and 713 days. This later patient, refractory to 2 previous lines had a cardiac and neurologic response. The 2 responding patients had proven t(11:14). Conclusions: On this limited series of heavily pretreated patients with R/R AL cardiac amyloidosis VEN used as a single agent or in combination can induce prolonged response and seems a promising drug with an acceptable safety profile in patients with t(11;14).

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