title: Vascular abnormalities in primary amyloidosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary amyloidosis (AL) is a systemic disease; however, there is limited information regarding the presence and character of vascular abnormalities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Validated ultrasound techniques were used to prospectively determine carotid artery intimal-medial thickness (IMT) and brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in 59 consecutive AL patients and 17 age-similar, healthy, asymptomatic volunteers (CON). Carotid IMT was increased in AL when compared with CON (0.07 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.04 +/- 0.01 mm, P < 0.01). Similarly, brachial artery FMD was significantly lower in AL when compared with CON subjects (3 +/- 7 vs. 12 +/- 8%, P < 0.01). Multivariable analysis revealed that AL was associated with larger IMT and lower FMD after controlling for several confounding variables. However, within AL cases, there was not a significant association of cardiac vs. non-cardiac involvement with IMT or FMD (P = 0.1 and 0.2, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AL is associated with abnormal vascular morphology and endothelial dysfunction. Vascular abnormalities do not appear to be related to echocardiographic evidence of cardiac involvement.
authors: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors: Karen M
authors: KM
authors: Modesto
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Dispenzieri
authors: Morie
authors: M
authors: Gertz
authors: Sanderson A
authors: SA
authors: Cauduro
authors: Bijoy K
authors: BK
authors: Khandheria
authors: James B
authors: JB
authors: Seward
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Kyle
authors: Christina M
authors: CM
authors: Wood
authors: Kent R
authors: KR
authors: Bailey
authors: Abdel Jamil
authors: AJ
authors: Tajik
authors: Fletcher A
authors: FA
authors: Miller
authors: Patricia A
authors: PA
authors: Pellikka
authors: Theodore P
authors: TP
authors: Abraham
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology