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Evaluation of patients with cardiac amyloidosis using echocardiography, ECG and right heart catheterization

Sven-Olof Granstam1, Sara Rosengren, Ola Vedin

  • 1Department of Medical Sciences: Clinical Physiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Sven-Olof.Granstam@medsci.uu.se

Amyloid : the International Journal of Experimental and Clinical Investigation : the Official Journal of the International Society of Amyloidosis
|January 24, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Cardiac amyloidosis, a heart condition, presents with specific echocardiogram and ECG findings. Early detection through these methods is crucial for timely intervention and improved patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cardiovascular Imaging
  • Electrophysiology

Background:

  • Cardiac amyloidosis is a progressive infiltrative disease affecting the heart.
  • Accurate characterization of cardiac amyloidosis is essential for patient management.
  • Biopsy-verified light chain or transthyretin amyloidosis impacts cardiac function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize cardiac amyloidosis using echocardiography, electrocardiogram (ECG), and right heart catheterization (RHC).
  • To identify key diagnostic markers for cardiac amyloidosis.
  • To evaluate treatment response in a case of cardiac amyloidosis.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 14 patients with biopsy-verified cardiac amyloidosis.
  • Echocardiography, ECG, and RHC were utilized for patient characterization.
  • Assessment of cardiac structure, function, and hemodynamic parameters.

Main Results:

  • Patients exhibited heart failure with elevated NT-proBNP, biventricular hypertrophy, and preserved ejection fraction.
  • Echocardiography showed low septal é and high E/é ratio, correlating with elevated pulmonary wedge pressure.
  • ECG revealed low voltage, abnormal R-progression, ST-T abnormalities, and high incidence of atrial fibrillation.

Conclusions:

  • Echocardiography and ECG findings are suggestive of cardiac amyloidosis.
  • These diagnostic modalities aid in identifying patients requiring further investigation.
  • Treatment with melphalan and dexamethasone showed potential for improving cardiac parameters.
Abstract

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