Introduction: Light-chain (AL) cardiorenal amyloidosis has been characterized as type 5 cardiorenal syndrome with fluid overload and poor prognosis. Cancer antigen 125 (CA125) has the potential for its use in evaluating fluid load and prognosis for heart failure. However, less details for CA125 in AL cardiorenal amyloidosis have been reported.
Methods: Sixty patients diagnosed with AL cardiorenal amyloidosis were enrolled in this retrospective study. Patients were divided into two groups according to the cutoff point of CA125 level (35 U/mL). Logistic regression was used to screen variables associated with CA125. Cox regression analyses were utilized to verify the prognostic potential of CA125.
Results: The mean age was 61 ± 8 years, and 68% of the participants were male. Compared to patients with normal CA125 levels (≤35 U/mL), patients with high levels of CA125 (>35 U/mL) had a higher proportion of New York Heart Association class >II, pericardial effusion, and edema, as well as a lower level of albumin and left ventricular longitudinal strain (LVLS). Logistic regression showed age, albumin, and LVLS to be independently associated with CA125. Seventeen (28%) patients died during the follow-up. Multivariate model including CA125, estimated glomerular filtration rate, E/e', and left ventricular ejection fraction showed acceptable prognostic potential (C-index = 0.829, 95% CI: 0.749-0.909). CA125 remained an independent prognostic factor (HR = 1.018, 95% CI: 1.005-1.031, p = 0.008, per 10 U/mL increase) after adjusting for the remaining three variates and provided a significant incremental effect to the risk determined from them (C-index 0.829 vs. 0.784, p = 0.037).
Conclusion: Serum CA125 level was associated with long-term prognosis of AL cardiorenal amyloidosis.
Keywords: Cancer antigen 125; Left ventricular longitudinal strain; Light-chain cardiorenal amyloidosis; Prognosis.
© 2022 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.