Spanish Registry of Acute Aortic Syndrome (RESA). Changes in therapeutic management and lower mortality in acute aortic syndrome

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

The Spanish Registry of Acute Aortic Syndrome (RESA) was launched in 2005 to identify the characteristics of acute aortic syndrome (AAS) in Spain. The aim of this study was to analyze the differences in management and mortality in the 3 RESA iterations.

METHODS

We analyzed data from patients with AAS prospectively included by 24 to 30 tertiary centers during the 3 iterations of the registry: RESA I (2005-2006), RESA-II (2012-2013), and RESA III (2018-2019).

RESULTS

AAS was diagnosed in 1902 patients (74% men; age, 60.7±12.5 years): 1329 (69.9%) type A and 573 (30.1%) type B. Comparison of the 3 periods revealed that the use of computed tomography increased as the first diagnostic technique (77.1%, 77.9%, and 84.2%, respectively; P=.001). In type A, surgical management increased (79.6%, 78.7%, and 84.5%; P=.045) and overall mortality decreased (41.2%, 34.5%, and 31.2%; P=.002), due to a reduction in surgical mortality (33.4%, 25.1%, and 23.9%; P=.003). In type B, endovascular treatment increased (22.8%, 32.8%, and 38.7%; P=.006), while medical and surgical treatment decreased. Overall type B mortality also decreased (21.6%, 16.1%, and 12.0%; P=.005) in line with a reduction in mortality with medical (16.8%, 13.8%, and 8.8%, P=.030) and endovascular (27.0%, 18.0%, and 9.2%; P=.009) treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

The iterations of RESA show a decrease in mortality from type A AAS, coinciding with an increase in surgical treatment and a reduction in surgical mortality. In type B, the use of endovascular treatment was associated with improved survival, allowing better management in patients with complications.

Clinical profile and outcome of cardiac amyloidosis in a Spanish referral center

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is produced by amyloid fiber deposition in the myocardium. The most frequent forms are those caused by light chains (AL) and transthyretin (ATTR). Our objective was to describe the diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of CA in a specialized Spanish center.

METHODS

We included all patients diagnosed with CA in Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda from May 2008 to September 2018. We analyzed their clinical characteristics, outcomes, and survival.

RESULTS

We included 180 patients with CA, of whom 64 (36%) had AL (50% men; mean age, 65±11 years) and 116 had ATTR (72% men; mean age 79±11 years; 18 with hereditary ATTR). The most common presentation was heart failure in both groups (81% in AL and 45% in ATTR, P <.01). Other forms of presentation in ATTR patients were atrial arrhythmias (16%), conduction disorders (6%), and incidental finding (6%); 70 patients (40%), had a previous alternative cardiac diagnosis. Diagnosis was noninvasive in 75% of ATTR patients. Diagnostic delay was higher in ATTR (2.8±4.3 vs 0.6±0.7 years, P <.001), but mortality was greater in AL patients (48% vs 32%, P=.028). Independent predictors of mortality were AL subtype (HR, 6.16; 95%CI, 1.56-24.30; P=.01), female sex (HR, 2.35; 95%CI, 1.24-4.46; P=.01), and NYHA functional class III-IV (HR, 2.07; 95%CI, 1.11-3.89; P=.02).

CONCLUSIONS

CA is a clinical challenge, with wide variability in its presentation depending on the subtype, leading to diagnostic delay and high mortality. Improvements are needed in the early diagnosis and treatment of these patients.

Prevalence of cardiac amyloidosis among elderly patients with systolic heart failure or conduction disorders

Objective: Cardiac amyloid infiltration can lead to systolic heart failure (HF) or to conduction disorders (CD). Patients with transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis are particularly exposed. We sought to determine the prevalence of ATTR and AL among patients >60 years admitted with CD or unexplained systolic HF and increased wall thickness. Materials and Methods: We studied 143 patients (57% males, 79 ± 9 years) with HF (N = 28) or CD requiring pacemaker implantation (N = 115). In total, 139 (97%) patients (28 with HF and 111 with CD) underwent ^99mTc-DPD scintigraphy to detect ATTR, and 105 (73%; 19 HF and 86 CD) underwent AL screening. Results: Five patients (4%; 95%CI:0-7%) exhibited wild-type ATTR (ATTRwt) amyloidosis, 2 (2%; 95%CI:0-4%) had CD and 3 (11%; 95%CI:0-23%) HF. No patient showed AL. The 2 ATTRwt patients with CD were previously asymptomatic, did not show classical ECG signs and exhibited mild LV hypertrophy with preserved LVEF. By contrast, all ATTRwt patients with HF had ECG and echocardiographic signs of amyloid. During a mean follow-up of 18 ± 11 months, 3(60%) patients with ATTRwt amyloidosis (1 CD and 2 HF) and 14(10.4%) without died. Conclusion: Prevalence of ATTRwt amyloidosis in patients with CD requiring pacemaker is low. Although, additional studies are needed, prevalence seems to be higher in elderly patients with systolic HF.

Negative screening of Fabry disease in patients with conduction disorders requiring a pacemaker

Identification of Fabry disease (FD) in cardiac patients has been restricted so far to patients with left ventricular hypertrophy. Conduction problems are frequent in FD and could precede other manifestations, offering a possible earlier diagnosis.

We studied the prevalence of FD in 188 patients < 70 years with conduction problems requiring pacemaker implantation. Although classical manifestations of FD were not rare, no patient with FD was identified. Screening efforts should not be conducted in this population.

Clinical Findings and Prognosis of Danon Disease. An Analysis of the Spanish Multicenter Danon Registry

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Danon disease (DD) is caused by mutations in the LAMP2 gene. It is considered a multisystemic disease characterized by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with pre-excitation and extreme hypertrophy, intellectual disability, myopathy, childhood presentation, and worse prognosis in men. There are scarce data on the clinical characteristics and prognosis of DD.

METHODS

We analyzed the clinical records of patients with DD from 10 Spanish hospitals.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven patients were included (mean age, 31 ± 19 years; 78% women). Male patients showed a high prevalence of extracardiac manifestations: myopathy (80%), learning disorders (83%), and visual alterations (60%), which were uncommon findings in women (5%, 0%, and 27%, respectively). Although hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was the most common form of heart disease (61%), the mean maximum wall thickness was 15 ± 7 mm and dilated cardiomyopathy was present in 12 patients (10 women). Pre-excitation was found in only 11 patients (49%). Age at presentation was older than 20 years in 16 patients (65%). After a median follow-up of 4 years (interquartile range, 2-9), 4 men (67%) and 9 women (43%) died or required a transplant. Cardiac disease and adverse events occurred later in women (37 ± 9 vs 23 ± 16 and 36 ± 20 vs 20 ± 11 years, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical characteristics of DD differ substantially from traditional descriptions: age at presentation of DD is older, the disease is not multisystemic in women, and pre-excitation is infrequent.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis. Progress and Hope

Cardiac amyloidosis is an infiltrative disorder caused by extracellular protein deposition. Transthyretin is a proamyloidotic protein that produces one of the most frequent forms of cardiac amyloidosis, either through mutations or a wild-type form (previously known as senile amyloidosis). Until very recently, diagnosis of transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) was very uncommon and histological confirmation was mandatory, making diagnosis of ATTR a real challenge in daily clinical practice. Moreover, the specific therapeutic options to alter the clinical course of the disease were very limited. However, advances in cardiac imaging and diagnostic strategies have improved recognition of ATTR. In addition, several compounds able to modify the natural history of the disease are in the final phases of research, with promising results. Given that effective therapies are on the horizon, cardiologists should be well-versed in this disease and be familiar with its diagnosis and treatment. This review describes the broad clinical spectrum of ATTR in detail, as well as recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

Long-term prognostic value of mitral regurgitation in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention

The presence of mitral regurgitation (MR) is associated with an impaired prognosis in patients with ischemic heart disease. However, data with regard to the impact of this condition in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated by means of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) are lacking. Our aim was to assess the effect of MR in the long-term prognosis of patients with STEMI after PPCI. We analyzed a prospective registry of 1,868 patients (mean age 62 ± 13 years, 79.9% men) with STEMI treated by PPCI in our center from January 2006 to December 2010. Our primary outcome was the composite end point of all-cause mortality or admission due to heart failure during follow-up. After exclusions, 1,036 patients remained for the final analysis. Moderate or severe MR was detected in 119 patients (11.5%). Those with more severe MR were more frequently women (p <0.001), older (p <0.001), and with lower ejection fraction (p <0.001). After a median follow-up of 2.8 years (1.7 to 4.3), a total of 139 patients (13.4%) experienced our primary end point. There was an association between the unfavorable combined event and the degree of MR (p <0.001). After adjustment for relevant confounders, moderate or severe MR remained as an independent predictor of the combined primary end point (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 3.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.57 to 6.27) and each event separately (adjusted HR death 3.1, 95% CI 1.34 to 7.2; adjusted HR heart failure 3.3, 95% CI 1.16 to 9.4). In conclusion, moderate or severe MR detected early with echocardiography was independently associated with a worse long-term prognosis in patients with STEMI treated with PPCI.