Untangling the clinical and economic burden of hospitalization for cardiac amyloidosis in the United States

PURPOSE: Cardiac dysfunction is common in amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, a rare disease caused by extracellular deposition of misfolded immunoglobulin light chains. This study aimed to examine economic/clinical disease burden in hospitalized cardiac amyloidosis patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cardiac amyloidosis patients ≥18 years old hospitalized between 2014 and 2016 were identified in claims if they had ≥1 inpatient claim consistent with amyloidosis and evidence of cardiac dysfunction. Descriptive statistics were reported. RESULTS: 3239 cardiac amyloidosis patients [1795 (55.4%) with concurrent renal disease] were identified. Mean (SD) length of stay was 8.3 (11.1) days. 25.2% were admitted to the intensive care unit. Mean overall hospitalization costs were USD$20,584. In-hospital mortality was 9.0% overall. 16.8% were readmitted within 30 days, with 11.2% dying in-hospital and a mean readmission cost of USD$18,536. CONCLUSION: Hospitalization for cardiac amyloidosis is costly, with high rates of readmission and mortality. Opportunities exist to improve care.