Prognostic impact of immunoparesis at diagnosis and after treatment onset in patients with light-chain amyloidosis

The impact of COVID-19 in the management of AL amyloidosis and Immunoglobulin Deposition Disease: A single-center experience

Introduction

Patients with AL amyloidosis and immunoglobulin deposition diseases (IDD) are vulnerable during the COVID‐19 pandemic due to the immune compromise from the plasma cell disorder and therapy‐related immune defects. We describe a local experience in providing care for patients with AL amyloidosis and IDD.

Method

Patient treatment and disease status since the beginning of the pandemic on March 11, 2020, as declared by WHO, were collected and analyzed.

Results

Ninety‐six patients with AL amyloidosis and IDD were included. Four patients with IDD and 22 patients with systemic AL amyloidosis were receiving treatment during the pandemic. Since the pandemic, patients’ treatments were discontinued if they achieved VGPR or better postinduction. Seven patients discontinued all treatment after achieving VGPR, and others required treatment modifications. 28 patients have been tested for COVID‐19, and all tests have been negative. Three patients died since the pandemic, two from organ complications of systemic AL amyloidosis and one from an unrelated cause.

Conclusion

The management of AL amyloidosis and IDD must be individualized on the clinical characteristics, centers’ access to care under the pandemic restrictions, and the epidemiological aspects of the outbreak.

Ten-year survivors in AL amyloidosis: characteristics and treatment pattern

Improvement in survival in Light chain (AL) amyloidosis has been seen over recent decades, enabling more patients to achieve long-term survival. Patients with AL amyloidosis who survived ≥10 years from time of diagnosis (n = 186) were the subject of this study. Ten-year survivors represented 22% of the total population. These patients were characterized by favourable patient, organ and plasma cell features. Of note, trisomies were less common among 10-year survivors compared to those who did not survive to 10 years. All-time best haematological response was complete response in 67%, very good partial response in 30%, partial response in 2% and no response in 1%, with 11% having received a consolidative strategy for inadequate response to first line therapy. The overall organ response rate to first-line therapy was 76%, which increased to 86% when considering subsequent line(s) of therapy. Forty-seven percent of the 10-year survivors did not require a second-line therapy. The median treatment-free survival (TFS) among the 10-year survivors was 10·5 years (interquartile range 7·4-12·2). On multivariate analysis independent predictors for TFS were the achievement of complete haematological response and lack of cardiac involvement. Long-term survivors are increasingly seen in AL amyloidosis and present distinct patient, organ and clonal disease features.

Bone marrow plasma cell infiltration in light chain amyloidosis: impact on organ involvement and outcome

OBJECTIVES

Prognosis of immunoglobulin light-chain (AL) amyloidosis depends mainly on the presence of cardiac involvement and the disease burden. A higher bone marrow plasma cell (BMPC) burden has been recognized as an adverse prognostic factor. The aim of our study was to analyze the correlation between the BMPC infiltration, clinical features and outcomes in patients with AL amyloidosis.

METHODS

The clinical records of 79 patients with AL amyloidosis treated at a single institution.

RESULTS

Median BMPC infiltration at diagnosis was 11% and significantly correlated with the serum free light-chain difference (p < .001). Patients with more than 10% BMPCs had more frequent cardiac involvement (86 vs. 63%; p = .015), a trend towards a higher early mortality (27 vs. 11%; p = .08) and a significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) (median of 18 vs. 48 months, p = .02) and overall survival (median of 33 months vs. not reached; p = .046). In the multivariate analysis, a BMPC infiltration over 10% retained its adverse prognostic value for PFS (HR = 2.26; 95% CI, 1.048-4.866; p = .038). The use of new drugs seemed to overcome the negative prognostic impact of a higher BMPC infiltration.

CONCLUSION

Higher BMPC infiltration in AL amyloidosis might be associated with increased systemic organ damage, particularly cardiac involvement and is rarely related to the development of myeloma features.