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Updated: Jan 7, 2026

Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: July 20, 2022
Functionally Limiting Symptoms and Inability to Independently Complete Daily Activities Increase the Burden Felt by
Francesco Cappelli1, Lucia Ponti2, Martina Smorti3
1Tuscan Regional Amyloidosis Referral Centre, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy. cappellif@aou-careggi.toscana.it.
Introduction:
The Burden of Disease survey characterized the humanistic burden of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) in 208 international patients not receiving disease-modifying therapy and their primary caregivers.
Methods:
Post hoc univariate analyses evaluated the relationships between patients' current symptoms and ability to complete activities of daily living (ADLs) with their caregivers' Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Fatigue, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Survey Anxiety (HADS-A) and Depression (HADS-D) subscale scores.
Results:
Most patients had wild-type ATTR-CM (91%; n = 141/155) and a New York Heart Association functional classification of I/II (78%; n = 156/199). Caregivers (n = 208) were a median age of 68 years, 85% were female, and 66% lived with the patient. Current patient symptoms of paralysis, heart failure, weakness (especially in the legs), leg pain, leg and ankle swelling, loss of sensation in the legs/arms, fatigue, insomnia, and weight loss were associated with a significantly (P < 0.05) higher caregiver ZBI score. Many of these symptoms were also associated with significantly (P < 0.05) higher PROMIS Fatigue and HADS-A scores; heart failure and weakness (especially in the legs) were associated with a significantly (P < 0.05) higher HADS-D score. Inability of patients to independently clean, bathe, cook, get in/out of bed, or walk were associated with significantly (P < 0.05) higher caregiver ZBI and HADS-D scores. Inability to independently clean and walk were associated with significantly (P < 0.05) higher PROMIS Fatigue and HADS-A scores.
Conclusions:
Burden is higher in caregivers of patients with ATTR-CM who have specific symptoms (including those causing disability) or an inability to independently complete ADLs. Graphical Abstract available for this article.
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