Cardiopulmonary Exercise Physiology in AL Amyloidosis Patients with Cardiac Involvement and Its Association with Cardiac Imaging Parameters.

Background: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) has been widely used for the functional evaluation of patients with heart failure. Patients with amyloidosis and cardiac involvement typically present with heart failure with preserved or mildly reduced ejection fraction. We sought to evaluate the use of CPET parameters in patients with AL amyloidosis for the assessment of disease severity and prognosis and their association with cardiac imaging findings. Methods: A single-center prospective analysis was conducted, which included 23 consecutive ambulatory patients with AL amyloidosis with cardiac involvement, not requiring hospitalization or intravenous diuretics. Patient evaluation included CPET, laboratory testing, echocardiography and cardiac MRI. The cohort was divided according to the presence of high-risk CPET characteristics (below median peak VO2 and above median VE/VCO2). Results: Patients with AL amyloidosis and cardiac involvement (median age was 60 years (56.5% males) had median peak relative VO2 (VO2/kg) of 17.8 mL/kg/min, VE/VCO2 slope of 39.4 and circulatory power of 2362.5 mmHg⋅mL/kg/min. Peak relative VO2 gradually declined across Mayo stages (p = 0.046) and exhibited a significant inverse correlation with NT-proBNP levels (r = −0.52, p = 0.01). Among imaging parameters, peak VO2 positively correlated with global work efficiency (r = 0.61, p < 0.001), and global work index (r = 0.45, p = 0.04). The group of patients with high-risk CPET findings showed evidence of more advanced disease, such as higher NT-proBNP levels (p = 0.007), increased septal and posterior left ventricular wall thickness (p = 0.043 and p = 0.033 respectively) and decreased global work efficiency (p = 0.027) without substantial differences in cardiac MRI parameters. In this group of patients, peak VO2 and VE/VCO2 were not associated significantly with overall survival and cardiac response at one year. Conclusion: In patients with AL amyloidosis, evaluation of exercise capacity with CPET identified a group of patients with more advanced cardiac involvement. The potential of CPET as a risk stratification tool in AL amyloidosis with cardiac involvement warrants further research

Mutation-dependent treatment approaches for patients with complex multiple myeloma

Introduction: Multiple myeloma is a complex hematologic malignancy that is considered incurable. The increasing comprehension of the genomic complexity has provided new insights into the therapeutic landscape of the disease. Next-generation sequencing studies have identified numerous driver gene mutations and alterations in signaling pathways, implicated in pathobiology and disease progression. Areas covered: Molecular tailored therapies against specific genetic alterations are under development in preclinical studies. These alterations include mutations in BRAF/KRAS/NRAS, FGFR3, overexpression of BCL2, and abberation in pathways such as MYC, JAK/STAT, NFκB, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR. Some of these novel anti-myeloma agents have entered clinical setting, as well. The question of whether these agents should be given as monotherapy or in combination with contemporary regimens is being addressed in ongoing trials. In the current review we present an up-to-date overview of targeted therapies MM. Expert opinion: Although fully personalized MM therapy is nowhere near, new technologies that allow rapid, detailed (and at a feasible cost) evaluation of the genetic content of myeloma on an individual basis may actually allow the development of therapies based on molecular profiling. These regimens may also have the potential to predict prognosis and achieve durable responses when established therapies are unable to overcome drug resistance. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor &amp; Francis Group

Monoclonal antibody-based therapies for Waldenström&apos;s macroglobulinemia

Monoclonal antibodies have established an important role in the treatment armamentarium of hematological malignancies, including Waldenström&apos;s macroglobulinemia. Rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, is established as standard therapy for this unique low grade lymphoma, due to its effectiveness and safety as monotherapy, in combination with chemotherapy or other targeted therapies in WM. Newer monoclonal antibodies, targeting CD20 or other surface antigens, have shown to be effective in patients with WM. In the current review we attempt to provide an overview of the mechanisms of action of monoclonal antibodies and discuss clinical evidence that support their use in WM and their therapeutic potential. © 202

Biomarkers in al amyloidosis

Systemic AL amyloidosis is a rare complex hematological disorder caused by clonal plasma cells which produce amyloidogenic immunoglobulins. Outcome and prognosis is the com-binatory result of the extent and pattern of organ involvement secondary to amyloid fibril deposi-tion and the biology and burden of the underlying plasma cell clone. Prognosis, as assessed by over-all survival, and early outcomes is determined by degree of cardiac dysfunction and current staging systems are based on biomarkers that reflect the degree of cardiac damage. The risk of progression to end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis is assessed by renal staging systems. Longer-term survival and response to treatment is affected by markers of the underlying plasma cell clone; the genetic background of the clonal disease as evaluated by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization in particular has predictive value and may guide treatment selection. Free light chain assessment forms the basis of hematological response criteria and minimal residual disease as assessed by sensitive methods is gradually being incorporated into clinical practice. However, sensitive biomarkers that could aid in the early diagnosis and that could reflect all aspects of organ damage and disease biology are needed and efforts to identify them are continuous. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

The utility of splenic imaging parameters in cardiac magnetic resonance for the diagnosis of immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis

Objectives: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is a key test in the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis (CA). Extracardiac involvement is common in light chain (AL) amyloidosis and MRI findings may assist in its diagnosis. We sought to investigate the utility of splenic CMR parameters for the diagnosis of CA. Methods: Thirty-four patients with AL amyloidosis and 32 patients with severe left ventricular hypertrophy in the setting of aortic stenosis (LVH-AS) who completed 3T cardiac MRI at the time of their diagnosis of AL or LVH-AS were assessed with T1, T2 (modified Look-Locker inversion recovery), extracellular volume (ECV) mapping, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging of the heart and spleen. Results: Age, left ventricular mass index, wall thickness, ejection fraction, and splenic dimensions did not differ significantly between groups. All AL patients had cardiac involvement. T1 and T2 spleen mapping did not differ significantly between groups but AL patients had higher median ECV in the spleen than in LVH-AS (AL 46.9%, LVH-AS: 31%, p &lt; 0.001), and significantly lower short tau inversion recovery ratio (AL: 1.7, LVH-AS: 2.7, p &lt; 0.001) both with very good diagnostic performance to diagnose AL. We identified 16 AL patients with spleen involvement and 16 without. Spleen ECV and “normalized” spleen ratio, defined as the ratio of spleen LGE to muscle values exhibited strong correlation and had excellent diagnostic performance to discriminate those with spleen involvement. Conclusion: Our findings show that spleen CMR parameters can identify spleen involvement in AL patients and differentiate them from those without AL amyloidosis. © 2022, The Author(s)