title: Myocardial adrenergic denervation in patients with primary (AL) amyloidosis.
abstract: Three patients, 2 women and 1 man, with primary (AL) amyloidosis without congestive heart failure are described; all 3 patients presented reduced I-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) myocardial uptake suggesting marked cardiac sympathetic denervation. This is the first time myocardial adrenergic denervation is described in patients with AL amyloidosis without evidence of congestive heart failure; the observed denervation could be implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiac conduction disturbances which are common in this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Athens University School of Medicine, Athens, Greece. lekakisj@otenet.gr
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lekakis
authors.forename: Meletios A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dimopoulos
authors.forename: Vassilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Prassopoulos
authors.forename: Myron
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mavrikakis
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gerali
authors.forename: Nicos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sifakis
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Athanassoulis
authors.forename: Stamatios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stamatelopoulos
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D000368:Aged; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000294:innervation* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine