@article{KraemerBijnensStoerketal.2015, author = {Kr{\"a}mer, Johannes and Bijnens, Bart and St{\"o}rk, Stefan and Ritter, Christian O. and Liu, Dan and Ertl, Georg and Wanner, Christoph and Weidemann, Frank}, title = {Left ventricular geometry and blood pressure as predictors of adverse progression of Fabry cardiomyopathy}, series = {PLoS ONE}, volume = {10}, journal = {PLoS ONE}, number = {11}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0140627}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-145131}, pages = {e0140627}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Background In spite of several research studies help to describe the heart in Fabry disease (FD), the cardiomyopathy is not entirely understood. In addition, the impact of blood pressure and alterations in geometry have not been systematically evaluated. Methods In 74 FD patients (mean age 36±12 years; 45 females) the extent of myocardial fibrosis and its progression were quantified using cardiac magnetic-resonance-imaging with late enhancement technique (LE). Results were compared to standard echocardiography complemented by 2D-speckle-tracking, 3D-sphericity-index (SI) and standardized blood pressure measurement. At baseline, no patient received enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). After 51±24 months, a follow-up examination was performed. Results Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was higher in patients with vs. without LE: 123±17 mmHg vs. 115±13 mmHg; P = 0.04. A positive correlation was found between SI and the amount of LE-positive myocardium (r = 0.51; P<0.001) indicating an association of higher SI in more advanced stages of the cardiomyopathy. SI at baseline was positively associated with the increase of LE-positive myocardium during follow-up. The highest SBP (125±19 mmHg) and also the highest SI (0.32±0.05) was found in the subgroup with a rapidly increasing LE (ie, ≥0.2\% per year; n = 16; P = 0.04). Multivariate logistic regression analysis including SI, SBP, EF, left ventricular volumes, wall thickness and NT-proBNP adjusted for age and sex showed SI as the most powerful parameter to detect rapid progression of LE (AUC = 0.785; P<0.05). Conclusions LV geometry as assessed by the sphericity index is altered in relation to the stage of the Fabry cardiomyopathy. Although patients with FD are not hypertensive, the SBP has a clear impact on the progression of the cardiomyopathy.}, language = {en} } @article{KraemerBeckerBleyetal.2022, author = {Kraemer, Markus and Becker, Jana and Bley, Thorsten Alexander and Steinbrecher, Andreas and Minnerup, Jens and Hellmich, Bernhard}, title = {Diagnostik und Therapie der Riesenzellarteriitis}, series = {Der Nervenarzt}, volume = {93}, journal = {Der Nervenarzt}, number = {8}, issn = {0028-2804}, doi = {10.1007/s00115-021-01216-8}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-307771}, pages = {819-827}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Die Riesenzellarteriitis (RZA) ist in der Altersgruppe der {\"u}ber 50-J{\"a}hrigen die h{\"a}ufigste idiopathische systemische Vaskulitis. Die Erkrankung bedarf einer zeitnahen Diagnostik und Therapie, um schwere Komplikationen wie eine Erblindung oder einen Schlaganfall zu vermeiden. Die Rezidivneigung erfordert eine mehrj{\"a}hrige, zum Teil lebenslange Glukokortikoid(GC)-Therapie, was das Risiko GC-induzierter Langzeitnebenwirkungen erh{\"o}ht. Daher wird bei der Mehrzahl der Patienten eine additive GC-einsparende Therapie empfohlen. Hierzu steht der Anti-IL-6-Rezeptor-Antik{\"o}rper Tocilizumab in subkutaner Applikation als zugelassene Substanz zur Verf{\"u}gung, alternativ kann Methotrexat (MTX) eingesetzt werden (off-label).}, language = {de} }