Study Overview
Brief Summary
Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is an infiltrative disease characterized by deposits of amyloid proteins of genetic or acquired origin (often in elderly patients), leading to heart failure and arrhythmias. More than 98% of currently diagnosed cases of cardiac amyloidosis result from fibrils composed of monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains (AL) or transthyretin (ATTR), in its hereditary (ATTRv) or acquired (ATTRwt) form.
Its prevalence is rising sharply due to an aging population and improved diagnostic techniques. Atrial fibrillation is responsible, in particular, for heart failure, arrhythmias, conduction disorders, and ischemic strokes, and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. These patients have a much higher-than-normal risk of stroke because they are in a procoagulant state in the left atrium, even in the absence of atrial fibrillation. Intracardiac thrombi (ICTs) are present in 28% of patients with AC requiring cardioversion, compared with 2.5% of patients without AC, 50% of whom are on anticoagulants.