Clinical presentations leading to arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy

OBJECTIVES

To describe a cohort of patients with arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy (ALVC), focusing on the spectrum of the clinical presentations.

METHODS

Patients were retrospectively evaluated between January 2012 and June 2020. Diagnosis was based on (1) ≥3 contiguous segments with subepicardial/midwall late gadolinium enhancement in the left ventricle (LV) at cardiac magnetic resonance plus a likely pathogenic/pathogenic arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC) associated genetic mutation and/or familial history of AC and/or red flags for ALVC (ie, negative T waves in V4-6/aVL, low voltages in limb leads, right bundle branch block like ventricular tachycardia) or (2) pathology examination of explanted hearts or autoptic cases suffering sudden cardiac death (SCD). Significant right ventricular involvement was an exclusion criterion.

RESULTS

Fifty-two patients (63% males, age 45 years (31-53)) composed the study cohort. Twenty-one (41%) had normal echocardiogram, 13 (25%) a hypokinetic non-dilated cardiomyopathy (HNDC) and 17 (33%) a dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Of 47 tested patients, 29 (62%) were carriers of a pathogenic/likely pathogenic DNA variant. Clinical contexts leading to diagnosis were SCD in 3 (6%), ventricular arrhythmias in 15 (29%), chest pain in 8 (15%), heart failure in 6 (12%) and familial screening in 20 (38%). Thirty patients (57%) had previously received a diagnosis other than ALVC with a diagnostic delay of 6 years (IQR 1-7).

CONCLUSIONS

ALVC is hidden in different clinical scenarios with a phenotypic spectrum ranging from normal LV to HNDC and DCM. Ventricular arrhythmias, chest pain, heart failure and SCD are the main clinical presentations, being familial screening essential for the affected relatives' identification.

Unmasking the Prevalence of Amyloid Cardiomyopathy in the Real World: Results from Phase 2 of AC-TIVE Study, an Italian Nationwide Survey

AIM

To investigate the prevalence of amyloid cardiomyopathy (AC) and the diagnostic accuracy of echocardiographic red flags of AC among consecutive adult patients undergoing transthoracic echocardiogram for reason other than AC in 13 Italian institutions.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This is an Italian prospective multicentric study, involving a clinical and instrumental work-up to assess AC prevalence among patients ≥ 55 years old with an "AC suggestive" echocardiogram (i.e. at least one echocardiographic red flag of AC in hypertrophic, non-dilated left ventricles with preserved ejection fraction). The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (#NCT04738266). 381 patients with an "AC suggestive" echocardiogram were identified among a cohort of 5315 screened subjects. 217 patients completed the investigations. A final diagnosis of AC was made in 62 patients with an estimated prevalence of 29% (95% CI: 23%-35%). Transthyretin-related AC (ATTR-AC) was diagnosed in 51 and light chain related AC (AL-AC) in 11 patients. Either apical sparing or a combination of ≥ 2 other echocardiographic red flags, excluding interatrial septum thickness, provided a diagnostic accuracy > 70%.

CONCLUSION

In a cohort of consecutive adults with echocardiographic findings suggestive of AC and preserved LVEF, the prevalence of AC (either ATTR or AL) was 29%. Easily available echocardiographic red flags, when combined together, demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy.

Diagnosis and Management of Rare Cardiomyopathies in Adult and Paediatric Patients. A Position Paper of the Italian Society of Cardiology (SIC) and Italian Society of Paediatric Cardiology (SICP)

Cardiomyopathies (CMPs) are myocardial diseases in which the heart muscle is structurally and functionally abnormal in the absence of coronary artery disease, hypertension, valvular disease and congenital heart disease sufficient to cause the observed myocardial abnormality. Thought for a long time to be rare diseases, it is now clear that most of the CMPs can be easily observed in clinical practice. However, there is a group of specific heart muscle diseases that are rare in nature whose clinical/echocardiographic phenotypes resemble those of the four classical morphological subgroups of hypertrophic, dilated, restrictive, arrhythmogenic CMPs. These rare CMPs, often but not solely diagnosed in infants and paediatric patients, should be more properly labelled as specific CMPs. Emerging consensus exists that these conditions require tailored investigation and management. Indeed, an appropriate understanding of these conditions is mandatory for early treatment and counselling. At present, however, the multisystemic and heterogeneous presentation of these entities is a challenge for clinicians, and time delay in diagnosis is a significant concern. The aim of this paper is to define practical recommendations for diagnosis and management of the rare CMPs in paediatric or adult age. A modified Delphi method was adopted to grade the recommendations proposed by each member of the writing committee.

[Mitral valve prolapse and mitral annulus disjunction: be aware of a potential arrhythmogenic substrate]

Mitral valve prolapse is a relatively common disease with a good overall prognosis. However, in specific clinical and instrumental contexts, patients at high risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death can be identified. Female sex, history of palpitations or syncope, bi-leaflet myxomatous valve, ECG repolarization abnormalities in the inferior leads, complex ventricular arrhythmias, left ventricular fibrosis detected by cardiac magnetic resonance correlate with a higher risk clinical profile. Additionally, morpho-functional abnormalities of the mitral valve annulus, particularly mitral annulus disjunction, may cause a mechanical stretch at the inferior basal ventricular wall and posterior papillary muscles, predisposing to myocardial fibrosis and arrhythmias. A risk stratification strategy is needed to identify patients with mitral valve prolapse and/or mitral annulus disjunction at high risk of arrhythmias; however, few data are available. Further prospective multicenter studies are warranted, focusing on medical therapy, the role of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators for primary prevention, efficacy of targeted catheter ablation or mitral valve surgery.

Association between common cardiovascular risk factors and clinical phenotype in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) EurObservational Research Programme (EORP) Cardiomyopathy/Myocarditis registry

AIMS

The interaction between common cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is poorly studied. We sought to explore the relation between CVRF and the clinical characteristics of patients with HCM enrolled in the EURObservational Research Programme (EORP) Cardiomyopathy registry.

METHODS AND RESULTS

1739 patients with HCM were studied. The relation between hypertension (HT), diabetes (DM), body mass index (BMI), and clinical traits was analysed. Analyses were stratified according to the presence or absence of a pathogenic variant in a sarcomere gene. The prevalence of HT, DM, and obesity (Ob) was 37, 10, and 21%, respectively. HT, DM, and Ob were associated with older age (P<0.001), less family history of HCM (HT and DM P<0.001), higher New York Heart Association (NYHA) class (P<0.001), atrial fibrillation (HT and DM P<0.001; Ob p = 0.03) and LV (left ventricular) diastolic dysfunction (HT and Ob P<0.001; DM P = 0.003). Stroke was more frequent in HT (P<0.001) and mutation-positive patients with DM (P = 0.02). HT and Ob were associated with higher provocable LV outflow tract gradients (HT P<0.001, Ob P = 0.036). LV hypertrophy was more severe in Ob (P = 0.018). HT and Ob were independently associated with NYHA class (OR 1.419, P = 0.017 and OR 1.584, P = 0.004, respectively). Other associations, including a higher proportion of females in HT and of systolic dysfunction in HT and Ob, were observed only in mutation-positive patients.

CONCLUSION

Common CVRF are associated with a more severe HCM phenotype, suggesting a proactive management of CVRF should be promoted. An interaction between genotype and CVRF was observed for some traits.

334 Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis: main features and profiles of different clinical phenotypes

Aims

Hereditary transthyretin-related amyloidosis (h-ATTR) is a systemic infiltrative disease caused by a single amino acid mutation on the transthyretin (TTR) gene, which destabilizes the protein and can determine its deposition on multiple organs, including heart and peripheral nervous system. We aimed to characterize and compare clinical, instrumental, and prognostic features of patients affected by h-ATTR by dividing the population into the disease’s main phenotypes (unaffected carriers, cardiac, neurological or mixed phenotype).

Methods and results

Two hundred and eighty-five subjects of a single-centre cohort with a recognized pathogenic mutation on TTR gene were retrospectively included in the analysis. Phenotypes of disease were defined at baseline. Neurological phenotype (NP) was defined according to sensorimotor and/or autonomic dysfunction, while cardiac phenotype (CP) was defined in the presence of unexplained maximum wall thickness &gt;12 mm and other typical echocardiographic findings. Unaffected carriers (UC) and mixed phenotypes (MP) presented none or both of the above-mentioned features, respectively. Two hundred and ten patients showed clinical signs of the disease, 37 (13%) with CP, 65 (23%) with NP and 108 (38%) with MP, while 75 subjects (26%) were UC. Ile68Leu was the most represented mutation (96 subjects, 34%), followed by Val30Met (21%) and Glu89Gln (13%). NP patients (mostly Val30Met) had mPND score &gt;1 in 45% of patients, were younger at diagnosis (mean 47 years, P &lt; 0.001 vs. CP/MP), and sex was equally distributed. In contrast, CP patients were older at diagnosis (mean 70 years, P &lt; 0.001 vs. CP/MP), predominantly male (as well as in MP) with a higher incidence of tunnel carpal syndrome and a shorter time interval between onset of symptoms and diagnosis (mean 17 months, P &lt; 0.001 vs. CP/MP). NYHA class, ECG findings, left ventricular wall thickness, and ejection fraction did not significantly differ between CP and MP. After a mean follow-up of 59 months, 98 (34%) patients died. On a Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, mean survival times were 208, 123, 150, and 95 months for UC, CP, NP, and MP, respectively, with a statistically significant difference in affected patients between NP and MP (P = 0.012).

Conclusions

H-ATTR is a rare systemic disorder whose natural history, including age of onset, clinical characteristics, and instrumental findings, is strongly influenced by primary phenotypes, ranging from the excellent prognosis of unaffected carriers to the inauspicious outcome of mixed phenotypes.

465 Unmasking the prevalence of cardiac amyloidosis in the real world: first insights from the phase 2 of active study, an Italian nationwide survey

Aims

Clinicians needs to identify patients with cardiac amyloidosis (CA) at an early stage, due to the availability of disease modifying therapies. Some echocardiographic findings may rise the suspicion of CA, also in patients with mild or no symptoms, addressing second level diagnostic tests. To investigate the prevalence of CA in consecutive patients ≥55 years undergoing clinically indicated, routine transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) in Italy with echocardiographic signs suggestive of CA.

Methods and results

This is a prospective multicentric study conducted in Italy. It comprises two phases: 1) an observational phase consisting in a national survey on prevalence of possible echocardiographic red flags of CA in consecutive patients ≥55 years undergoing routine TTE (previously published) and 2) a CA diagnostic phase. Preliminary results of phase 2 are herein presented. Patients that in the phase 1 presented a CA-suggestive TTE (i.e. at least one red flag of CA in hypertrophic, non-dilated left ventricles) were re-evaluated for a cardiological visit. Those who consented to proceed in the study, underwent clinical evaluation, blood and urine tests and scintigraphy with bone tracer. Diagnosis of transthyretin related-CA (TTR-CA) was made in presence of Grades 2–3 Perugini uptake at scintigraphy and absence of monoclonal protein. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (#NCT04738266). Of the 5315 screened echocardiograms, 381 exams (7.2%) were classified as AC-suggestive. Two-hundred-twelve of the 381 patients with a CA-suggestive TTE underwent phase 2 study. Main reasons for the 169 non-entering patients into the phase 2 were death (n = 53) and refusal to participate (n = 85). Sixty-five of these 212 patients (31%; 17% considering also the 169 non-entering patients into the phase 2) had a diagnosis of CA. Finally, TTR-CA was diagnosed in 53 (25%) and AL-CA in 12 (5.7%) patients.

Conclusions

Among a cohort of consecutive unselected patients ≥55 years with echocardiographic findings suggestive of CA, the real prevalence of CA ranged from 17 up to 31%. Although TTR-CA was predominant, AL-CA was diagnosed in a significant amount of cases. TTE has a fundamental role in screening patients, raising the suspicion of CA and orienting diagnostic work-up for CA.

228 Management and treatment of an hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotype

Methods and results

We are presenting the case of a 75-year-old man who was received in our Cardiomyopathy unit in 1986 with echocardiography showing evidence of left ventricular concentric hypertrophy and a subsequent diagnosis of a sarcomeric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. During the follow-up, a progressive increase in mid-ventricular pressure gradient was reported and increasing pulmonary arterial pressure, even though the patient was asymptomatic. In 2013, the patient was hospitalized after a resuscitated cardiac arrest due to VF. The coronary angiogram did not show any significant coronary obstructions. The echocardiography showed a systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral valve causing a dynamic pressure gradient in the left ventricular outflow tract reaching 90 mmHg and pulmonary hypertension (PAPs 60 mmHg). A double-chamber ICD was implanted as a secondary prevention of SCD and after a discussion with the Heart-Team, a surgical myectomy with the Morrow technique was performed on the patient. A total of 16 grams of myocardium was removed from the basal interventricular septum, three II order chordae tendineae were dissected from the AML and a mitral valve repair was performed on the patient. The myocardium was reported to show the typical aspects of infiltration; for this reason, a wide genetic analysis was performed which led to the diagnosis of Anderson–Fabry disease (a hemizygous GLA mutation and a homozygous MYBPC3 mutation). Therefore, specific enzymatic therapy was started. The genetic analysis was extended to the patient’s relatives leading to the that the patient’s brother and daughter were both carriers of the mutation. Starting in 2019, the patient began to develop symptoms of cardiac failure (mainly dyspnoea). An echocardiographic investigation showed a moderate to severe aortic regurgitation, a moderate mitral regurgitation, moderate left ventricular dilation, and pulmonary hypertension. The patient’s case was submitted to the Heart-Team’s discussion: due to the patient’s age and clinical conditions, heart transplantation was rejected and medical therapy was decided to be the best option. In 2021 the patient presented with worsening of clinical conditions including dyspnoea during daily activities (NYHA III). An echographic investigation found severe mitral regurgitation with a dilated and hypokinetic LV (EF 30%). The patient was hospitalized for decompensated HF: the coronary angiography did not show CAD and the cardiac catheterization showed low cardiac output without high vascular pulmonary resistances. After the Heart-Team re-evaluation, we decided to perform a percutaneous correction of the mitral regurgitation and in July 2021 Mitraclip implantation was performed on the patient without peri- and post-procedural complications. At the 3-month evaluation the patient was in better clinical conditions with improvement in his functional status (NYHA II). This patient is now continuing outpatient follow-up and we are considering the possibility of a future transcatheter correction of aortic valve regurgitation.

Conclusions

we submitted this clinical report with the aim to show how, thanks to the development of increasingly advanced diagnostic and therapeutic tools, it is nowadays possible to manage these complex phenotypes and their complications.

351 Prevalence and prognostic significance of RV uptake (biventricular uptake) at planar scintigraphy in patients with ATTR cardiac amyloidosis

Aims

The validation of cardiac scintigraphy with bone tracers for nonbiopsy confirmation of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) has revolutionized the diagnosis of this condition. While most studies focused on left ventricle (LV) uptake, the significance of bone tracers uptake in the right ventricle (RV) leading to biventricular (BiV) uptake has not been investigated so far. BiV uptake at planar scintigraphy might reflect a more advanced ATTR-CA. To estimate the prevalence of BiV uptake and its potential prognostic role in ATTR-CA.

Methods and results

Multicentre, retrospective, observational study performed among four Italian referral centres for CA. Data of ATTR-CA patients who underwent bone tracers scintigraphy with acquisition of planar and SPECT imaging between November 2014 and June 2020 at participating centres were centrally revised. ATTR-CA was diagnosed according to the Gilmore’s algorithm. LV uptake was assessed by Perugini visual scale. RV uptake was defined as: 0 = absent, 1 ≤ bone uptake, 2 = equal to bone uptake, and 3 ≥ bone uptake. Images were independently assessed by six experienced operators, blinded to all patients’ data. Cardiological data included clinical examination, ECG, echocardiography and blood tests. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiac death and hospitalization for heart failure. Of the 124 patients with ATTR-CA included in this analysis, 93 (75%) had BiV uptake at planar scintigraphy and all had RV free wall uptake confirmed at SPECT imaging. The prevalence of planar BiV uptake increased along with the LV Perugini grade: 14% in Perugini grade 1, 70% in Perugini grade 2, and 92% in Perugini grade 3. Compared to those with planar LV uptake, patients with planar BiV uptake were older (81 vs. 77 years, P = 0.006), more frequently in NYHA ≥3 (32% vs. 10%, P = 0.018), had increased NT-proBNP values (4293 vs. 2492 pg/ml, P = 0.046), LV wall thickness (18 vs. 17 mm, P = 0.007). They had higher rates of LV ejection fraction &lt;50% (42% vs. 10%, P = 0.001) and lower TAPSE (16 vs. 20 mm, P = 0.048). At 18 months, patients with BiV uptake experienced the primary endpoint more frequently than those with LV uptake (P = 0.021, Figure), with the highest risk observed in patients with grade 2–3 RV uptake (P = 0.010). The LV Perugini grade did not affect prognosis (P = 0.20). At multivariate analysis, NYHA ≥3, eGFR &lt;60 ml/min and BiV uptake had independent prognostic value (HR 8.0, P = 0.007; HR 2.1, P = 0.025; HR 1.7, P = 0.007; respectively).

Conclusions

The presence of BiV uptake at planar scintigraphy identified ATTR-CA patients at worse cardiovascular outcome, potentially serving as novel marker for prognostic stratification in this population.

199 Lower aortic valve calcium scores by computed tomography scan. A potential new red flag of concomitant cardiac amyloidosis in patients with severe aortic stenosis

Aims

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) and degenerative aortic stenosis (AS) are two diseases often combined but the diagnosis of both these conditions is challenging because these two illnesses share common echocardiographic characteristics. Different predictors have been proposed in the last few years, including clinical, ECG-graphic, and echocardiographic features. To identify a new marker of concomitant CA in patients with severe AS using computed tomography scan (CT).

Methods and results

Fifty-five patients with severe AS and suspicion of concomitant CA were retrospectively enrolled. Patients with a bicuspid aortic valve, previous aortic valve replacement, or an incomplete diagnostic workup for CA were excluded. Thirty-three patients underwent CT-scan and were included in the final analysis. None of the patients had at laboratory tests suspicion for AL amyloidosis; 12 patients (AS-CA) had positive 99 m Tc-DPD bone scintigraphy (two with visual score 1, eight score 2 and two score 3), 21 patients (AS-alone) had negative bone scintigraphy (visual score 0). AS-CA patients had a median age of 85.5 years (vs. 82) with only one female patient (vs. 8 in the AS-alone group). AVA indexed were almost comparable between AS-CA and AS-alone groups (0.4 vs. 0.3 mm2/m2, P = 0.25). Stroke volume evaluated by pulsed Doppler, maximum and mean gradient were significatively lower in AS-CA group (respectively 30 vs. 41 ml/m2, P = 0.017, 62 vs. 74 mmHg, 0.038 and 33 vs. 46 mmHg, P = 0.022) with a higher percentage of paradoxical low flow-low gradient aortic stenosis in AS-CA group (7 patients, 58% vs. 3 patients in AS-alone 14%, P = 0.027), in line with the literature. ECG at first presentation in AS-CA group showed atrial fibrillation in eight patients (67%), vs. two patients in the AS-alone group (10%), and lower QRS voltages (peripheral QRS score 40 mV vs. 51 mV, P-value = 0.017; total QRS score 113 mV vs. 155 mV, P-value = 0.005). The echocardiogram showed a more thickened IVS and PW in AS-CA patients (17 vs. 15 mm, P = 0.05 and 15 vs. 14 mm, P = 0.013), an increased left ventricular mass (441 vs. 356 g, P = 0.036) with a reduction of longitudinal systolic function (septal S wave at TDI 4.4 vs. 5.2 cm/s, P = 0.026, lateral S wave 4.1 vs. 5.6 cm/s, P = 0.024) and a lower myocardial contraction fraction (12% vs. 14%, P = 0.036). CT-aortic valve calcium was valued and quantified by an experienced operator. A statistically significant difference between AS-CA and AS-alone groups was observed in calcium score (3345 vs. 4785 Hounsfield units, P = 0.037) calcium volume (2411 vs. 3626 mm2, P = 0.03) and calcium mass (687 vs. 1147 g, P = 0.023).

Conclusions

This study is the first to our knowledge to use relative aortic valve calcium score evaluation from CT imaging to define patients with severe AS with or without concomitant CA in addition to the classical clinical, ECG graphic, and echocardiographic features. CT-aortic valve calcium burner was significatively lower in patients with concomitant CA.

683 Cor in memoria posterorum: role of familial screening in sudden death syndrome

A 14-year-old boy suddenly died during a school lesson. His familial history was negative for sudden cardiac death and no comorbidities were reported. As part of Emilia Romagna regional network for sudden cardiac death, the heart was examined at our Cardiovascular Pathology Unit. The molecular autopsy revealed extensive lymphocytic macrophage left ventricle myocarditis (infero-lateral and anterior wall) in various evolutive stages. Genetic testing with next-generation sequencing was performed on DNA isolated from explanted heart samples (178 candidate genes for channelopathies and cardiomyopathies were analysed) and it showed a frameshift pathological mutation in the filamine C gene (FLNC c.8034delC p. Cys2679fsTer6) which induces protein premature termination. In order to screen family members, we evaluated the father, 53-year-old, asymptomatic and with an unremarkable cardiology history. The ECG showed sinus rhythm, HR 60 b.p.m., normal atrioventricular conduction, QRS fragmentation and negative T waves in the inferior leads. The echocardiogram revealed left ventricle mild dilation (79 mL/m2) with global hypokinesia (EF 45%), while right ventricle was normal for size and kinetics. A cardiac MRI confirmed left ventricular dilation and hypokinesia with diffuse LGE with circumferential mesocardial distribution mainly in the middle-baseline site, which reflected structural damage (fibrosis). The 24-h Holter ECG did not record arrhythmias. The genetic test was then performed and the same FLNC frameshift mutation was identified. We thus suspected familial arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy involving left ventricle with pathological filamine C mutation and an ICD was recommended. Other family members had no pathological findings. Filamine C mutations are associated with many type of cardiomyopathy. A possible association between some mutated variants and certain subtypes of cardiomyopathy has been highlighted. In particular, the frameshift variant is associated with an increased arrhythmic risk, particularly when dilated forms are considered. Recent studies have identified a correlation with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, although the role of these mutated variants has not yet been fully defined. This clinical case underlines the importance of multidisciplinary approach in cases of sudden cardiac death, consisting of autopsy, genetic and clinical evaluation, in order to identify any forms of familial cardiomyopathy and activate a systematic screening in family members with important prognostic and therapeutic implications. Data about our regional structural network for sudden cardiac death will also be shown.

Diagnosis and Management of Cardiovascular Involvement in Fabry Disease

Fabry disease (FD, OMIM 301500) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disease caused by pathogenic variants in the GLA gene. Cardiac involvement is common in FD and is responsible for impaired quality of life and premature death. The classic cardiac involvement is a nonobstructive form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, usually manifesting as concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, with subsequent arrhythmogenic intramural fibrosis. Treatment of patients with FD should be directed to prevent the disease progression to irreversible organ damage and organ failure. The aim of this review is to describe the current state of knowledge regarding cardiovascular involvement in FD, focusing on clinical and instrumental features, cardiovascular management, and targeted therapy.

Different aortic valve calcium scores by computed tomography scan in patients with severe aortic stenosis and concomitant cardiac amyloidosis

Background

The coexistence of cardiac amyloidosis (CA) and degenerative aortic stenosis (AS) is increasing but the diagnosis is challenging because these two conditions share a common echocardiographic phenotype (1). Different predictors have been proposed in the last few years, including clinical, ECG-graphic and echocardiographic features (2–3).

Purpose

To identify a new marker of concomitant CA in patients with severe AS analyzing computed tomography scan (CT).

Methods

55 patients with severe AS and suspicion of concomitant CA were retrospectively enrolled. Patients with a bicuspid aortic valve, previous aortic valve replacement, or an incomplete diagnostic workup for CA were excluded. 33 patients underwent CT-scan and were included in the final analysis.

Results

None of the patients presented laboratory suspicion for AL amyloidosis; 12 patients (AS-CA) had positive 99m Tc-DPD bone scintigraphy (two with visual score 1, eight score 2 and two score 3), 21 patients (AS-alone) had negative bone scintigraphy. AS-CA patients had a median age of 85,5 years (versus 81,5) with only one female patient (versus 8 in the AS-alone group). AVA indexed were comparable between AS-CA and AS-alone groups (0,4 versus 0, 3 mm2/m2, p: 0.25). Stroke volume evaluated by pulsed Doppler, maximum and mean gradient were significatively lower in AS-CA group (respectively 30 versus 41 ml/m2, p: 0.017, 62 versus 74 mmHg, 0.038 and 33 versus 46 mmHg, p:0.022) with a higher percentage of low flow-low gradient aortic stenosis in AS-CA group (7 patients, 58% vs 3 patients in AS-alone 14%, p: 0.027), in line with the literature. ECG at first presentation in AS-CA group showed atrial fibrillation in 8 patients (67%), versus 2 patients in the AS-alone group (10%), and lower QRS voltages (peripheral QRS score 40 mV vs 51 mV, p-value:0.017; total QRS score 113 mV versus 155 mV, p-value: 0.005). The echocardiogram showed a more thickened IVS and PW in AS-CA patients (17 versus 15 mm, p: 0.05 and 15 versus 14 mm, p: 0.013), an augmented left ventricular mass (441 versus 356 g, p: 0.036) with a decreases longitudinal systolic function (septal S wave at TDI 4.4 versus 5.2 cm/s, p: 0.026, lateral S wave 4.1 versus 5.6 cm/s, p: 0.024) and a reduction in myocardial contraction fraction (12 versus 14%, p: 0.036).

CT- aortic valve calcium was quantified by an experienced operator. A statistically significant difference between AS-CA and AS-alone groups was observed in calcium score (3345 versus 4785 Hounsfield units, p: 0.037) calcium volume (2411 versus 3626 mm2, p: 0.03) and calcium mass (687 versus 1147 g, p: 0.023)

Conclusions

This study is the first to our knowledge to use relative aortic valve calcium score evaluation from CT imaging to characterize patients with severe AS with or without concomitant CA in addition to the classical clinical, ECG graphic, echocardiographic parameters. CT-aortic valve calcium burner was significatively lower in patients with concomitant CA.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None. CT scan and bone scintigraphy

Analysis of characteristics and prognostic impact of phenotypes in hereditary ATTR

Background

Hereditary transthyretin-related amyloidosis (h-ATTR) is a systemic infiltrative disease caused by a single amino acid mutation on the transthyretin (TTR) gene, which destabilizes the protein and can determine its deposition on multiple organs, including heart and peripheral nervous system.

Purpose

We aimed to characterize and compare clinical, instrumental, and prognostic features of patients affected by h-ATTR by dividing the population into the disease's main phenotypes (unaffected carriers, cardiac, neurological or mixed phenotype).

Methods

Two hundred and eighty-five subjects of a single-centre cohort with a recognized pathogenic mutation on TTR gene were retrospectively included in the analysis. Phenotypes of disease were defined at baseline. Neurological phenotype (NP) was defined according to sensorimotor and/or autonomic dysfunction, while cardiac phenotype (CP) was defined in the presence of unexplained maximum wall thickness &gt;12 mm and other typical echocardiographic findings. Unaffected carriers (UC) and mixed phenotypes (MP) presented none or both of the above-mentioned features, respectively.

Results

Two hundred and ten patients showed clinical signs of the disease, 37 (13%) with CP, 65 (23%) with NP and 108 (38%) with MP, while 75 subjects (26%) were UC. Ile68Leu was the most represented mutation (96 subjects, 34%), followed by Val30Met (21%) and Glu89Gln (13%). NP patients (mostly Val30Met) had mPND score &gt;1 in 45% of patients, were younger at diagnosis (mean 47 years, p&lt;0,001 vs CP/MP), and sex was equally distributed. In contrast, CP patients were older at diagnosis (mean 70 years, p&lt;0,001 vs CP/MP), predominantly male (as well as in MP) with a higher incidence of tunnel carpal syndrome and a shorter time interval between onset of symptoms and diagnosis (mean 17 months, p&lt;0,001 vs CP/MP). NYHA class, ECG findings, left ventricular wall thickness and ejection fraction did not significantly differ between CP and MP. After a mean follow-up of 59 months, 98 (34%) patients died. On a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, mean survival times were 208, 123, 150 and 95 months for UC, CP, NP and MP, respectively, with a statistically significant difference in affected patients between NP and MP (p=0.012).

Conclusions

H-ATTR is a rare systemic disorder whose natural history, including age of onset, clinical characteristics and instrumental findings, is strongly influenced by primary phenotypes, ranging from the excellent prognosis of unaffected carriers to the inauspicious outcome of mixed phenotypes.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Advanced Heart Failure in a Special Population: Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a complex clinical syndrome that has become a global health issue, with mortality ranging from 53% to 74% at 5 years. It is defined as the presence of signs and symptoms of heart failure associated with left ventricular ejection fraction greater than or equal to 50%. The definition and diagnosis of HFpEF in patients with unexplained dyspnea remain a clinical challenge in the absence of a unique diagnostic algorithm universally recognized. Clinical trials conducted so far did not show a significant improvement of prognosis, but forthcoming therapies could provide innovative solutions.

Current use of cardiac magnetic resonance in tertiary referral centres for the diagnosis of cardiomyopathy: the ESC EORP Cardiomyopathy/Myocarditis Registry

Aims 

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is recommended in the diagnosis of cardiomyopathies, but it is time-consuming, expensive, and limited in availability in some European regions. The aim of this study was to determine the use of CMR in cardiomyopathy patients enrolled into the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) cardiomyopathy registry [part of the EURObservational Research Programme (EORP)].

Methods and results 

Three thousand, two hundred, and eight consecutive adult patients (34.6% female; median age: 53.0 ± 15 years) with cardiomyopathy were studied: 1260 with dilated (DCM), 1739 with hypertrophic (HCM), 66 with restrictive (RCM), and 143 with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). CMR scans were performed at baseline in only 29.4% of patients. CMR utilization was variable according to cardiomyopathy subtypes: from 51.1% in ARVC to 36.4% in RCM, 33.8% in HCM, and 20.6% in DCM (P < 0.001). CMR use in tertiary referral centres located in different European countries varied from 1% to 63.2%. Patients undergoing CMR were younger, less symptomatic, less frequently had implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)/pacemaker implanted, had fewer cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities (P < 0.001). In 28.6% of patients, CMR was used along with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE); 67.6% patients underwent TTE alone, and 0.9% only CMR.

Conclusion 

Less than one-third of patients enrolled in the registry underwent CMR and the use varied greatly between cardiomyopathy subtypes, clinical profiles of patients, and European tertiary referral centres. This gap with current guidelines needs to be considered carefully by scientific societies to promote wider availability and use of CMR in patients with cardiomyopathies.

Impact on clinical outcomes of right ventricular response to percutaneous correction of secondary mitral regurgitation

AIMS

In patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR), impaired right ventricular function (RVF) may negatively influence the prognosis. Percutaneous mitral valve repair (pMVR) can promote the recovery of RVF. We sought to characterize the response of the right ventricle to pMVR in HFrEF with SMR and to assess the association between improved RVF after pMVR and outcomes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Overall, 221 patients with HFrEF and SMR ≥3+ successfully treated with pMVR in four tertiary care centres for heart failure were included. Improved RVF was defined as Δ right ventricular fractional area change (ΔRVFAC) ≥5% at early follow-up (median time 4 months). The primary endpoint was a composite of death/heart transplantation (D/HT). Mean age was 69 ± 11 years, mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 31 ± 8% and mean RVFAC was 34 ± 9%. ΔRVFAC ≥5% occurred in 88 patients (40%) and was independent of the measures of left ventricular reverse remodelling. During a median follow-up of 29 months (interquartile range 12-46), 81 patients (37%) reached the primary endpoint. After adjustment for other significant covariates, ΔRVFAC ≥5% was significantly associated with lower risk of D/HT (hazard ratio 0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.29-0.94, P = 0.030). In the secondary outcome analysis exploring the risk of heart failure hospitalizations, ΔRVFAC ≥5% confirmed the prognostic association with the endpoint.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with HFrEF and SMR, about 40% of patients improved RVF after pMVR. RVF improvement was associated with better long-term survival free from HT and lower risk of heart failure hospitalization.

Current patterns of beta-blocker prescription in cardiac amyloidosis: an Italian nationwide survey

Aims

The use of beta‐blocker therapy in cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is debated. We aimed at describing patterns of beta‐blocker prescription through a nationwide survey.

Methods and results

From 11 referral centres, we retrospectively collected data of CA patients with a first evaluation after 2016 (n = 642). Clinical characteristics at first and last evaluation were collected, with a focus on medical therapy. For patients in whom beta‐blocker therapy was started, stopped, or continued between first and last evaluation, the main reason for beta‐blocker management was requested. Median age of study population was 77 years; 81% were men. Arterial hypertension was found in 58% of patients, atrial fibrillation (AF) in 57%, and coronary artery disease in 16%. Left ventricular ejection fraction was preserved in 62% of cases, and 74% of patients had advanced diastolic dysfunction. Out of the 250 CA patients on beta‐blockers at last evaluation, 215 (33%) were already taking this therapy at first evaluation, while 35 (5%) were started it, in both cases primarily because of high‐rate AF. One‐hundred‐nineteen patients (19%) who were on beta‐blocker at first evaluation had this therapy withdrawn, mainly because of intolerance in the presence of heart failure with advanced diastolic dysfunction. The remaining 273 patients (43%) had never received beta‐blocker therapy. Beta‐blockers usage was similar between CA aetiologies. Patients taking vs. not taking beta‐blockers differed only for a greater prevalence of arterial hypertension, coronary artery disease, AF, and non‐restrictive filling pattern (P < 0.01 for all) in the former group.

Conclusions

Beta‐blockers prescription is not infrequent in CA. Such therapy may be tolerated in the presence of co‐morbidities for which beta‐blockers are routinely used and in the absence of advanced diastolic dysfunction.

The role of the electrocardiographic phenotype in risk stratification for sudden cardiac death in childhood hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

AIMS

The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is routinely performed in children with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). An ECG risk score has been suggested as a useful tool for risk stratification, but this has not been independently validated. This aim of this study was to describe the ECG phenotype of childhood HCM in a large, international, multi-centre cohort and investigate its role in risk prediction for arrhythmic events.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Data from 356 childhood HCM patients with a mean age of 10.1 years (±4.5) were collected from a retrospective, multi-centre international cohort. Three hundred and forty-seven (97.5%) patients had ECG abnormalities at baseline, most commonly repolarization abnormalities (n = 277, 77.8%); left ventricular hypertrophy (n = 240, 67.7%); abnormal QRS axis (n = 126, 35.4%); or QT prolongation (n = 131, 36.8%). Over a median follow-up of 3.9 years (interquartile range 2.0-7.7), 25 (7%) had an arrhythmic event, with an overall annual event rate of 1.38 (95% CI 0.93-2.04). No ECG variables were associated with 5-year arrhythmic event on univariable or multivariable analysis. The ECG risk score threshold of >5 had modest discriminatory ability [C-index 0.60 (95% CI 0.484-0.715)], with corresponding negative and positive predictive values of 96.7% and 6.7.

CONCLUSION

In a large, international, multi-centre cohort of childhood HCM, ECG abnormalities were common and varied. No ECG characteristic, either in isolation or combined in the previously described ECG risk score, was associated with 5-year sudden cardiac death risk. This suggests that the role of baseline ECG phenotype in improving risk stratification in childhood HCM is limited.

Prospective follow-up in various subtypes of cardiomyopathies: insights from the ESC EORP Cardiomyopathy Registry

AIMS

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) European Observational Research Programme (EORP) Cardiomyopathy Registry is a prospective multinational registry of consecutive patients with cardiomyopathies. The objective of this report is to describe the short-term outcomes of adult patients (≥18 years old).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Out of 3208 patients recruited, follow-up data at 1 year were obtained in 2713 patients (84.6%) [1420 with hypertrophic (HCM); 1105 dilated (DCM); 128 arrhythmogenic right ventricular (ARVC); and 60 restrictive (RCM) cardiomyopathies]. Improvement of symptoms (dyspnoea, chest pain, and palpitations) was globally observed over time (P < 0.05 for each). Additional invasive procedures were performed: prophylactic implantation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) (5.2%), pacemaker (1.2%), heart transplant (1.1%), ablation for atrial or ventricular arrhythmia (0.5% and 0.1%). Patients with atrial fibrillation increased from 28.7% to 32.2% of the cohort. Ventricular arrhythmias (VF/ventricular tachycardias) in ICD carriers (primary prevention) at 1 year were more frequent in ARVC, then in DCM, HCM, and RCM (10.3%, 8.2%, 7.5%, and 0%, respectively). Major cardiovascular events (MACE) occurred in 29.3% of RCM, 10.5% of DCM, 5.3% of HCM, and 3.9% of ARVC (P < 0.001). MACE were more frequent in index patients compared to relatives (10.8% vs. 4.4%, P < 0.001), more frequent in East Europe centres (13.1%) and least common in South Europe (5.3%) (P < 0.001). Subtype of cardiomyopathy, geographical region, and proband were predictors of MACE on multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite symptomatic improvement, patients with cardiomyopathies remain prone to major clinical events in the short term. Outcomes were different not only according to cardiomyopathy subtypes but also in relatives vs. index patients, and according to European regions.

Standard ECG for differential diagnosis between Anderson-Fabry disease and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the role of the ECG in the differential diagnosis between Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

METHODS

In this multicentre retrospective study, 111 AFD patients with left ventricular hypertrophy were compared with 111 patients with HCM, matched for sex, age and maximal wall thickness by propensity score. Independent ECG predictors of AFD were identified by multivariate analysis, and a multiparametric ECG score-based algorithm for differential diagnosis was developed.

RESULTS

Short PR interval, prolonged QRS duration, right bundle branch block (RBBB), R in augmented vector left (aVL) ≥1.1 mV and inferior ST depression independently predicted AFD diagnosis. A point-by-point ECG score was then derived with the following diagnostic performances: c-statistic 0.80 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.86) for discrimination, the Hosmel-Lemeshow χ² 6.14 (p=0.189) for calibration, sensitivity 69%, specificity 84%, positive predictive value 82% and negative predictive value 72%. After bootstrap resampling, the mean optimism was 0.025, and the internal validated c-statistic for the score was 0.78.

CONCLUSIONS

Standard ECG can help to differentiate AFD from HCM while investigating unexplained left ventricular hypertrophy. Short PR interval, prolonged QRS duration, RBBB, R in aVL ≥1.1 mV and inferior ST depression independently predicted AFD. Their systematic evaluation and the integration in a multiparametric ECG score can support AFD diagnosis.

Impact on clinical outcomes of right ventricular response to percutaneous correction of secondary mitral regurgitation

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Background. Right ventricular function (RVF) is a strong determinant of prognosis in patients with reduced ejection fraction heart failure (HFrEF) and secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR). Percutaneous mitral valve repair (pMVR) can promote the recovery of RVF.

Purpose. We sought to characterize the RV response to pMVR in HFrEF with SMR and to assess the influence of improved RVF after pMVR in this specific setting of patients.

Methods. We included all the patients with HFrEF and SMR≥3+ successfully treated with pMVR between April 2012 and January 2020 in two tertiary care centers for HF. Improved RVF was defined as DRVFAC≥5% at early follow-up (median time 4 months). The primary endpoint was a composite of death/heart transplant (D/HT).  

Results. In total, 110 patients were included. Mean age was 67 ± 12 years, mean LVEF was 31 ± 8% and mean RVFAC was 31 ± 10%. DRVFAC≥5% occurred in 54 (49%) patients and was independent from the measures of left ventricle recovery. During a median follow-up of 36 months (IQR 19-52), 40 patients (36%) died or were transplanted.  After adjustment for other significant covariates, DRVFAC≥5% was significantly associated with lower risk of D/HT (HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.24 – 0.98 p &lt; 0.042) along with M2+ at follow-up (HR 0.36; 95% CI 0.17-0.74 p 0.005).

Conclusions. In patients with HFrEF and SMR, the improvement of RVF is frequent after pMVR and is associated with better long-term survival free from HT.

Abstract Figure.

Mortality Among Referral Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy vs the General European Population

Importance

It is unclear whether hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) conveys excess mortality when compared with the general population.

Objective

To compare the survival of patients with HCM with that of the general European population.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Retrospective cohort study of 4893 consecutive adult patients with HCM presenting at 7 European referral centers between 1980 and 2013. The data were analyzed between April 2018 and August 2019.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Survival was compared using standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) calculated with data from Eurostat, stratified by study period, country, sex, and age, and using a composite end point in the HCM cohort of all-cause mortality, aborted sudden cardiac death, and heart transplant.

Results

Of 4893 patients with HCM, 3126 (63.9%) were male, and the mean (SD) age at presentation was 49.2 (16.4) years. During a median follow-up of 6.2 years (interquartile range, 3.1-9.8 years), 721 patients (14.7%) reached the composite end point. Compared with the general population, patients with HCM had excess mortality throughout the age spectrum (SMR, 2.0, 95% CI, 1.48-2.63). Excess mortality was highest among patients presenting prior to the year 2000 but persisted in the cohort presenting between 2006 and 2013 (SMR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.55-2.18). Women had higher excess mortality than men (SMR, 2.66; 95% CI, 2.38-2.97; vs SMR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.52-1.85; P < .001).

Conclusions and Relevance

Among patients referred to European specialty centers, HCM was associated with significant excess mortality through the life course. Although there have been improvements in survival with time, potentially reflecting improved treatments for HCM, these findings highlight the need for more research into the causes of excess mortality among patients with HCM and for better risk stratification.