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Regression of cardiac amyloid after autologous stem-cell transplantation
John E A Blair1, Sanford M Zeigler, Jayesh Mehta
1Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Insights
Primary cardiac amyloidosis, a severe condition, typically contraindicates stem-cell transplants. This study demonstrates successful autologous stem-cell transplantation leading to cardiac amyloid regression.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Hematology
- Oncology
Background:
- Primary cardiac amyloidosis presents a poor prognosis with limited effective treatments.
- Autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) with high-dose chemotherapy shows promise for amyloid regression in non-cardiac tissues.
Observation:
- Cardiac involvement in amyloidosis traditionally contraindicates ASCT due to high treatment-related mortality.
- This case report details the treatment of a patient with cardiac amyloidosis.
Findings:
- Successful application of autologous stem-cell transplantation in a patient with primary cardiac amyloidosis.
- Demonstrated regression of cardiac amyloid following the ASCT procedure.
Implications:
- ASCT may be a viable therapeutic option for select patients with cardiac amyloidosis.
- This finding challenges previous contraindications for ASCT in cardiac involvement.
- Further research is warranted to explore the safety and efficacy of ASCT in cardiac amyloidosis.
Abstract:
Primary cardiac amyloid has a dismal prognosis and most treatments are experimental with highly variable results. Although autologous stem-cell transplant in conjunction with high-dose chemotherapy has yielded regression of amyloid in other body tissues, the presence of cardiac involvement contraindicates stem-cell transfer due to high treatment mortality. We describe the successful treatment of cardiac amyloid using autologous stem-cell transplantation and the resultant regression of the cardiac amyloid.
