Effective and well tolerated treatment with melphalan and dexamethasone for primary systemic AL amyloidosis with cardiac involvement

Rinsho Ketsueki. 2009 Nov;50(11):1647-51.

Abstract

A 60-year-old woman was admitted with acute heart failure and was diagnosed as having primary systemic AL amyloidosis with cardiac involvement by endomyocardial biopsy. Electrophoresis revealed an IgG-lambda monoclonal component and amyloidosis was evident in the gastric and rectal mucosa. Her cardiac function at diagnosis was poor, including an ejection fraction of 59% and IVS of 19 mm, and serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT) was elevated (0.12 ng/ml). She was treated with melphalan-dexamethasone (Mel-Dex) therapy once a month. After more than a year, cardiac function and performance status were maintained, with decreasing levels of cTnT, indicating that Mel-Dex represents a feasible and effective therapeutic option for patients with AL amyloidosis with cardiac dysfunction.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Amyloidosis / complications*
  • Amyloidosis / diagnosis
  • Amyloidosis / drug therapy*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Dexamethasone / administration & dosage*
  • Female
  • Heart Failure / diagnosis
  • Heart Failure / drug therapy*
  • Heart Failure / etiology*
  • Humans
  • Melphalan / administration & dosage*
  • Middle Aged
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Troponin T / blood

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Troponin T
  • Dexamethasone
  • Melphalan