METHODS: We identified all of our endomyocardial biopsyproven cardiac amyloidosis patients from January 2010 to January 2018 and reviewed their medical records. All patients echocardiographic and ECG findings reviewed and analysed comparing to basic mean population value.
RESULTS: In total there are 13 biopsy-proven cardiac amyloidosis patients. All of the biopsies shows light chain (AL) amyloid. Majority of the patients (8, 61.5%) is male, and most of our patients (8, 61.5%) is Chinese. All seven patients on whom we performed deformation imaging have apical sparing pattern on longitudinal strain echocardiogram. Mean ejection fraction is 49.3%, (SD=7.9). All patients have concentric left ventricular hypertrophy and right ventricular hypertrophy. Diastolic dysfunction was present in all of our patients with nine out of 13 patients (69.2%) having restrictive filling patterns (E/A ≥2.0 E/e' ≥15). On electrocardiogram, 12 (92%) patients have prolonged PR interval (median 200ms, IQR 76.50ms) and 9 (69.2%) patients have pseudoinfarct pattern.
CONCLUSION: Echocardiography plays an important role in diagnosing cardiac amyloidosis. The findings of concentric left ventricular hypertrophy with preserved ejection fraction without increased in loading condition should alert the clinician towards its possibility. This is further supported by right ventricular hypertrophy and particularly longitudinal strain imaging showing apical sparing pattern.
Materials and Methods: Age-matched seven male and seven female triathletes were recruited for the study. They were on a standardized training regimen and on average competed in at least one endurance event every month for the past 3-4 years. Serum biomarkers were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at the start and at end of the racing season.
Results: Both male and female triathletes showed a statistically significant increase in 8-OHdG. A similar pattern of increase was seen with serum myoglobin, which was not statistically significant in both male and female triathletes. cTnI levels did not show any change in both sexes.
Conclusion: Our study shows that there could be an increased evidence of DNA damage among triathletes. However, similar effects were not observed with skeletal and cardiac muscle biomarkers.