BACKGROUND Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) is a heterogeneous disorder with multiorgan involvement and a genetic or nongenetic basis. OBJECTIVES We described ATTR in the United States in the THAOS (Transthyretin Amyloidosis Outcomes Survey) registry. METHODS Demographic, clinical, and genetic features of patients enrolled in the THAOS registry in the United States (n = 390) were compared to other regions of the world (ROW) (n = 2,140) with a focus on the phenotypic expression and survival in the majority of U.S. subjects with Val122Ile (n = 91) and wild-type ATTR (n = 189). RESULTS U.S. subjects are older (70 vs. 46 years), more often male (85.4% vs. 50.6%) and more often of African descent (25.4% vs. 0.5%) than ROW. A significantly higher percentage of U.S. patients with ATTR amyloid seen at cardiology sites had wild-type disease than the ROW (50.5% vs. 26.2%). In the United States, 34 different mutations (n = 201) have been reported, with the most common being Val122Ile (n = 91; 45.3%) and Thr60Ala (n = 41; 20.4%). Overall, 91 of 107 patients with Val122Ile (85%) were from the United States, where Val122Ile subjects were younger and more often women and black than wild-type patients, and had similar cardiac phenotype but a greater burden of neurologic symptoms (pain, numbness, tingling, and walking disability) and worse quality of life. Advancing age and lower mean arterial pressure, but not the presence of a TTR mutation, were independently associated with higher mortality from a multivariate analysis of survival. CONCLUSIONS In the THAOS registry, ATTR in the United States is overwhelmingly a disorder of older adult males with a cardiac-predominant phenotype. Val122Ile is the most common TTR mutation, and neurologic phenotypic expression differs between wild-type disease and Val122Ile, but survival from enrollment in THAOS does not. CLINICAL TRIAL NCT00628745

The management of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF) has improved significantly over the last two decades. In contrast, little or no progress has been made in identifying evidence-based, effective treatments for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HF-PEF). Despite the high prevalence, mortality, and cost of HF-PEF, large phase III international clinical trials investigating interventions to improve outcomes in HF-PEF have yielded disappointing results. Therefore, treatment of HF-PEF remains largely empiric, and almost no acknowledged standards exist. There is no single explanation for the negative results of past HF-PEF trials. Potential contributors include an incomplete understanding of HF-PEF pathophysiology, the heterogeneity of the patient population, inadequate diagnostic criteria, recruitment of patients without true heart failure or at early stages of the syndrome, poor matching of therapeutic mechanisms and primary pathophysiological processes, suboptimal study designs, or inadequate statistical power. Many novel agents are in various stages of research and development for potential use in patients with HF-PEF. To maximize the likelihood of identifying effective therapeutics for HF-PEF, lessons learned from the past decade of research should be applied to the design, conduct, and interpretation of future trials. This paper represents a synthesis of a workshop held in Bergamo, Italy, and it examines new and emerging therapies in the context of specific, targeted HF-PEF phenotypes where positive clinical benefit may be detected in clinical trials. Specific considerations related to patient and endpoint selection for future clinical trials design are also discussed.

Evidence-based management has improved long-term survival in patients with heart failure (HF). However, an unintended consequence of increased longevity is that patients with HF are exposed to a greater symptom burden over time. In addition to classic symptoms such as dyspnea and edema, patients with HF frequently suffer additional symptoms such as pain, depression, gastrointestinal distress, and fatigue. In addition to obvious effects on quality of life, untreated symptoms increase clinical events including emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and long-term mortality in a dose-dependent fashion. Symptom management in patients with HF consists of two key components: comprehensive symptom assessment and sufficient knowledge of available approaches to alleviate the symptoms. Successful treatment addresses not just the physical but also the emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of suffering. Despite a lack of formal experience during cardiovascular training, symptom management in HF can be learned and implemented effectively by cardiology providers. Co-management with palliative medicine specialists can add significant value across the spectrum and throughout the course of HF.