Cardiac involvement occurs in up to 50% of patients with primary amyloidosis. Diffuse amyloid deposits lead to impairment of myocardial systolic and diastolic function. Due to the severe left ventricular diastolic abnormality, left atrial contribution to left ventricular stroke volume remains critical. We report a case of primary amyloidosis where we assessed non-invasively left atrial systolic function.
Copyright 2002 The European Society of Cardiology