Elevated interleukin-6 levels are associated with impaired outcome in cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis.

Background: Elevated interleukin (IL)-6-levels have been described in familial variant transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) associated polyneuropathy and heart failure. However, IL-6 in cardiac ATTR amyloidosis (ATTR-CM) and its prognostic value have not been investigated yet.

Aim: We aim to study the correlation between IL-6 levels with clinical presentation (Gillmore-class) and outcome [heart transplantation or death (htx/death)], or the combined endpoint of cardiac decompensation or htx/death in ATTR-CM.

Methods: IL-6 levels of 106 ATTR-CM patients [54 wild-type ATTRwt, 52 ATTRv-CM], 15 asymptomatic carriers of ATTR mutations (aATTRv-CM) and 27 healthy donors were quantified using Luminex technology. Statistical analysis was performed using parametric survival regression models.

Results: We found that IL-6 levels from wild-type ATTR patients were significantly elevated compared to healthy controls, while aATTRv-CM carriers and ATTRv-CM patients did not show a significant difference. IL-6 levels showed significantly higher values in increasing Gillmore classes. Univariate analyses revealed association of low IL-6 levels with cardiac decompensation and htx/death [odds ratio: 0.26 (0.09-0.72), = 0.01] and htx/death [odds ratio: 0.15 (0.04-0.58), = 0.006]. However, in the multivariate model, no significant improvement of risk prediction was seen for IL-6, while established prognostic factors were significantly associated with outcome.

Conclusion: Raised IL-6 levels correlate with clinical presentation and are associated with worse outcome in ATTR-CM but do not improve stratification in addition to established risk factors.