Characterized by the interstitial deposition of abnormal substances within the myocardium, Infiltrative Cardiomyopathies (ICM) constitutes a diverse group of myocardial diseases that cause a disruption in the normal ventricular wall morphology, composition and function, often resulting in diastolic dysfunction.
As a rare form of cardiomyopathy, ICM has presented as a frequently misunderstood and underdiagnosed cause of heart failure. The most common forms of ICM include Cardiac Amyloidosis, Cardiac Sarcoidosis, and Hemochromatosis. Diagnosing the specific type of ICM present is highly complicated due to the shared clinical presentation; echocardiography remains as a primary non-invasive diagnostic tool in the detection of left ventricular wall thickening and restricted ventricular filling. Other imaging techniques such as Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) and nuclear imaging have proven beneficial in the differential diagnosis of ICM, though a comprehensive diagnostic approach using various techniques such as imaging, genetic testing, tissue testing, and in some cases, endomyocardial biopsies, are essential for an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Advancements in diagnostic tools over the years have demonstrated the prognostic value of certain cardiac biomarkers in various cardiac diseases; the use of NT-proBNP in the differential diagnosis of ICM has gained considerable attention, for earlier detection and management of ICM. As with diagnosis, treatment of ICM forms remains complex; increased interest and findings on the management of ICM forms over the previous decades have allowed for a multiple-approach method in the management of ICM. For example, for inherited Cardiac Amyloidosis, medications targeted to stabilize the TTR protein and attain euvolemia are preferred, whereas glucocorticoids as well as implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) are among the conventional therapeutic approaches for Cardiac Sarcoidosis. The role of cardiac transplantation for the treatment of ICM varies considerably; observational studies indicate a beneficial role in the management of Hemochromatosis and Cardiac Sarcoidosis, warranting the need for further exploration in this field.
This Research Topic will accept manuscripts within this area of research, with the aim of providing the reader with a comprehensive overview on the latest discoveries and findings, analysis of previously published data, new opinions and perspectives, in the diagnosis and management of ICM. This article collection will place a particular emphasis on novel approaches in the diagnosis and treatment of ICM types such as Cardiac Amyloidosis, Cardiac Sarcoidosis, Hemochromatosis, and Scleroderma using genetics, biomarkers, and imaging modalities.
Characterized by the interstitial deposition of abnormal substances within the myocardium, Infiltrative Cardiomyopathies (ICM) constitutes a diverse group of myocardial diseases that cause a disruption in the normal ventricular wall morphology, composition and function, often resulting in diastolic dysfunction.
As a rare form of cardiomyopathy, ICM has presented as a frequently misunderstood and underdiagnosed cause of heart failure. The most common forms of ICM include Cardiac Amyloidosis, Cardiac Sarcoidosis, and Hemochromatosis. Diagnosing the specific type of ICM present is highly complicated due to the shared clinical presentation; echocardiography remains as a primary non-invasive diagnostic tool in the detection of left ventricular wall thickening and restricted ventricular filling. Other imaging techniques such as Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) and nuclear imaging have proven beneficial in the differential diagnosis of ICM, though a comprehensive diagnostic approach using various techniques such as imaging, genetic testing, tissue testing, and in some cases, endomyocardial biopsies, are essential for an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Advancements in diagnostic tools over the years have demonstrated the prognostic value of certain cardiac biomarkers in various cardiac diseases; the use of NT-proBNP in the differential diagnosis of ICM has gained considerable attention, for earlier detection and management of ICM. As with diagnosis, treatment of ICM forms remains complex; increased interest and findings on the management of ICM forms over the previous decades have allowed for a multiple-approach method in the management of ICM. For example, for inherited Cardiac Amyloidosis, medications targeted to stabilize the TTR protein and attain euvolemia are preferred, whereas glucocorticoids as well as implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) are among the conventional therapeutic approaches for Cardiac Sarcoidosis. The role of cardiac transplantation for the treatment of ICM varies considerably; observational studies indicate a beneficial role in the management of Hemochromatosis and Cardiac Sarcoidosis, warranting the need for further exploration in this field.
This Research Topic will accept manuscripts within this area of research, with the aim of providing the reader with a comprehensive overview on the latest discoveries and findings, analysis of previously published data, new opinions and perspectives, in the diagnosis and management of ICM. This article collection will place a particular emphasis on novel approaches in the diagnosis and treatment of ICM types such as Cardiac Amyloidosis, Cardiac Sarcoidosis, Hemochromatosis, and Scleroderma using genetics, biomarkers, and imaging modalities.