Abstract
BACKGROUND: Improved imaging modalities contributed to increasing awareness of cardiac amyloidosis. Contemporary data on frequency trends in Germany are lacking. METHODS: In a retrospective study using health claims data of a German statutory health insurance, patients with diagnostic codes of amyloidosis and concomitant heart failure between 2009 and 2018 were identified. RESULTS: Prevalence increased from 15.5 to 47.6 per 100,000 person-years, and incidence increased from 4.8 to 11.6 per 100,000 person-years, with a continuous steepening in the slope of incidence trend. In patients with amyloidosis and heart failure age and proportion of men significantly increased, whereas the frequency of myeloma and nephrotic syndrome significantly decreased over time. Median (IQR) survival time after first diagnosis was 2.5 years (0.5-6 years), with a 9% (95% CI 2-15%, p = 0.008) reduced risk of death in the second compared to the first 5 years of observation. In the 2 years prior and 1 year after diagnosis, mean total health care costs were 6568 €, 11,872 € and 21,955 € per person and year. CONCLUSION: The rise in cardiac amyloidosis has continuously accelerated in the last decade. Considering the adverse outcome and high health care burden, further effort should be put on early detection of the disease to implement available treatment.