Prevalence of cardiac amyloidosis in Spanish patients with heart failure: The PREVAMIC study design

Introduction: Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) has been considered a rare disease, but different studies show that its prevalence is higher than previously thought. Previous studies carried out on the prevalence of CA are heterogeneous and provide inconclusive and changing data over time that do not allow us to know the real prevalence of this pathology. In Spain, 60% of patients with heart failure (HF) admitted to hospitals are cared for in Internal Medicine Services, and their follow-up is carried out by internists, but there are no prevalence studies in this type of Internal Medicine patients. The PREVAMIC is a study designed by the HF Working Group of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine to known the Prevalence of CA in HF patients cared by internists. Objectives: The main objective is to estimate the prevalence of different types of CA in patients with HF, aged 65 years and older, with left ventricular hypertrophy, managed in Internal Medicine departments. Secondary objectives are to describe clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic features of patients with CA and to compare 1-year readmissions and mortality rates in patients with and without CA. Methods: A multicenter, observational, cross-sectional, prospective, cohort study with a 1-year follow-up. Inclusion criteria: Inpatients or outpatients with HF, aged ≥ 65 years, both genders, with septum or posterior wall > 12 mm, under the care of internists. Conclusions: Our prospective investigation study aims to improve knowledge about the prevalence of CA in patients with HF treated in the Internal Medicine setting.