Myocardial Storage, Inflammation, and Cardiac Phenotype in Fabry Disease After One Year of Enzyme Replacement Therapy.

BACKGROUND

Cardiac response to enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in Fabry disease is typically assessed by measuring left ventricular mass index using echocardiography or cardiovascular magnetic resonance, but neither quantifies myocardial biology. Low native T1 in Fabry disease represents sphingolipid accumulation; late gadolinium enhancement with high T2 and troponin elevation reflects inflammation. We evaluated the effect of ERT on myocardial storage, inflammation, and hypertrophy.

METHODS

Twenty patients starting ERT (60% left ventricular hypertrophy-positive) were compared with 18 patients with early disease and 18 with advanced disease over 1 year at 3 centers. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (left ventricular mass index, T1, T2, global longitudinal strain, and late gadolinium enhancement) and biomarkers (high-sensitive troponin-T and NT-proBNP [N-terminal Pro-B-type natriuretic peptide]) at baseline (pre-ERT) and 12 months were performed. Early disease controls were stable, treatment-naïve patients (mainly left ventricular hypertrophy-negative); advanced disease controls were stable, established ERT patients (mainly left ventricular hypertrophy-positive).

RESULTS

Over 1 year, early disease controls increased maximum wall thickness and left ventricular mass index (9.8±2.7 versus 10.2±2.6 mm;

CONCLUSIONS

Fabry myocardial phenotype development is different at different disease stages. After 1 year of ERT initiation, left ventricular hypertrophy-positive patients have a detectable, small reduction in left ventricular mass and storage.