Functional Status and Quality of Life in Light-Chain Amyloidosis: Advanced Imaging, Longitudinal Changes, and Outcomes.

Background: In light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, whether functional status and heart failure-related quality of life (HF-QOL) correlate with cardiomyopathy severity, improve with therapy, and are associated with major adverse cardiac events (MACE) beyond validated scores is not well-known.

Objectives: The authors aimed to: 1) correlate functional status and HF-QOL with cardiomyopathy severity; 2) analyze their longitudinal changes; and 3) assess their independent associations with MACE.

Methods: This study included 106 participants with AL amyloidosis, with 81% having AL cardiomyopathy.

Targeting Ikaros and Aiolos: reviewing novel protein degraders for the treatment of multiple myeloma, with a focus on iberdomide and mezigdomide.

Introduction: The treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) is evolving rapidly. Quadruplet regimens incorporating proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), and CD38 monoclonal antibodies have emerged as standard-of-care options for newly diagnosed MM, and numerous novel therapies have been approved for relapsed/refractory MM. However, there remains a need for novel options in multiple settings, including refractoriness to frontline standards of care.

Mechanisms of left ventricular systolic dysfunction in light chain amyloidosis: a multiparametric cardiac MRI study.

Background: Cardiac systolic dysfunction is a poor prognostic marker in light-chain (AL) cardiomyopathy, a primary interstitial disorder; however, its pathogenesis is poorly understood.

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the effects of extracellular volume (ECV) expansion, a surrogate marker of amyloid burden on myocardial blood flow (MBF), myocardial work efficiency (MWE), and left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction in AL amyloidosis.

Methods: Subjects with biopsy-proven AL amyloidosis were prospectively enrolled (April 2016-June 2021; Clinicaltrials.

Isatuximab, carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone in patients with newly diagnosed, transplantation-eligible multiple myeloma (SKylaRk): a single-arm, phase 2 trial.

Background: Isatuximab is a CD38 monoclonal antibody approved for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. We aimed to evaluate the addition of isatuximab to weekly carfilzomib (K), lenalidomide (R), and dexamethasone (d; Isa-KRd) in transplant-eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and stratified maintenance by cytogenetic risk.

Methods: This single-arm phase 2 trial was done at three cancer centres (two hospitals and a cancer institute) in Boston (MA, USA).

Quantification of right ventricular amyloid burden with 18F-florbetapir positron emission tomography/computed tomography and its association with right ventricular dysfunction and outcomes in light-chain amyloidosis.

Aims: In systemic light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, quantification of right ventricular (RV) amyloid burden has been limited and the pathogenesis of RV dysfunction is poorly understood. Using 18F-florbetapir positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), we aimed to quantify RV amyloid; correlate RV amyloid with RV structure and function; determine the independent contributions of RV, left ventricular (LV), and lung amyloid to RV function; and associate RV amyloid with major adverse cardiac events (MACE: death, heart failure hospitalization, cardiac transplantation).

Methods And Results: We prospectively enrolled 106 participants with AL amyloidosis (median age 62 years, 55% males) who underwent 18F-florbetapir PET/CT, magnetic resonance imaging, and echocardiography.

Chemotherapy-induced reversal of ciltacabtagene autoleucel-associated movement and neurocognitive toxicity.

In 2 complementary Letters to Blood, Karschnia et al and Graham et al provide new insights into the neurological toxicities that are observed with B-cell maturation antigen–directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell treatment for multiple myeloma, identifying a frequency of immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) that exceeds 40%. Severe ICANS is identified in 8% of patients in this real-world series. Outcomes were generally favorable, although the authors describe rare, late Parkinsonism-like hypokinetic movement disorders (also known as movement and neurocognitive toxicities) post-ICANS in 2 patients.

Quality of life, psychological distress, and prognostic perceptions in caregivers of patients with multiple myeloma.

Although caregivers of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) play a critical role in supporting their loved ones throughout the illness course, studies examining caregiver quality of life (QOL), psychological distress, and prognostic awareness are lacking. We conducted a cross-sectional, multisite study of patients undergoing treatment with MM and their caregivers. Eligible caregivers were enrolled to 1 of 3 cohorts based on lines of therapy.

Phase 1 study of CART-ddBCMA for the treatment of subjects with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.

Relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) is a plasma cell neoplasm defined by progressively refractory disease necessitating chronic and increasingly intensive therapy. Despite recent advances, limited treatment options exist for RRMM. This single-arm, open label phase 1 study aimed to evaluate the safety of novel B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeting chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T construct that leverages a completely synthetic antigen-binding domain (CART-ddBCMA), which was specifically engineered to reduce immunogenicity and improve CAR cell surface stability.

Near-wall velocities of particles suspended in shear flow and a streamwise electric field.

Particles with a diameter of ∼0.5 µm in a dilute (volume fractions φ  < 4 × 10 ) suspension assemble into highly elongated structures called "bands" under certain conditions in combined Poiseuille and electroosmotic flows in opposite directions through microchannels at particle-based Reynolds numbers Re  < < 1. The particles are first concentrated near, then form "bands" within ∼6 µm of, the channel wall.