Light-chain amyloidosis with echocardiographic features of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Am J Cardiol. 2008 Mar 1;101(5):674-6. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2007.10.031. Epub 2007 Dec 21.

Abstract

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and cardiac amyloidosis result in thickening of the left ventricle, as visualized by 2-dimensional echocardiography. Hemodynamically, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can be typified by a left ventricular outflow tract gradient and systolic anterior motion of the mitral apparatus, findings rarely seen in cardiac amyloidosis. This case series reports 4 patients with cardiac light-chain amyloidosis and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction at rest, suggesting that there may be echocardiographic overlap between these 2 disparate disease processes. In a series of consecutive patients with cardiac light-chain amyloidosis over a 2-year period, the prevalence of these echocardiographic findings was approximately 4%. In conclusion, awareness of this overlap in echocardiographic presentation may permit more accurate diagnosis, particularly at early stages of amyloid disease, when more treatment options exist.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Amyloidosis / complications*
  • Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / complications
  • Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / diagnostic imaging*
  • Diastole / physiology
  • Echocardiography, Doppler
  • Female
  • Heart Diseases / complications*
  • Heart Ventricles / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Rest
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / diagnostic imaging
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / physiopathology
  • Ventricular Outflow Obstruction / complications
  • Ventricular Outflow Obstruction / diagnostic imaging*

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains