Key result
Enzyme replacement therapy is linked to ~14 g/m² LV mass index regression in Fabry cardiomyopathy.
Why the study?
Cardiac remodeling in Fabry cardiomyopathy evolves asynchronously across structural and functional domains, where diastolic indices and left atrial mechanics vary independently of left ventricular geometry. This domain-specific heterogeneity complicates the assessment of enzyme replacement therapy response when relying on a single echocardiographic parameter.
Does enzyme replacement therapy improve AI-quantified longitudinal echocardiographic parameters of LV structure, diastolic function, and LA reservoir strain compared to no treatment in patients with Fabry cardiomyopathy?
Cohort (n=69)
Yes
Does enzyme replacement therapy improve AI-quantified longitudinal echocardiographic parameters of LV structure, diastolic function, and LA reservoir strain compared to no treatment in patients with Fabry cardiomyopathy?
AI-enabled longitudinal echocardiography demonstrates that enzyme replacement therapy in Fabry cardiomyopathy is associated with LV mass regression and improved diastolic and LA mechanics, with LA reservoir strain serving as a sensitive discriminator of treatment response.
May support ERT evaluation in Fabry cardiomyopathy; leaves open randomized trials of AI-quantified remodeling.
Background Cardiac remodeling in Fabry cardiomyopathy evolves across structural and functional domains that do not change synchronously during longitudinal follow-up. Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy often progresses or regresses gradually, whereas diastolic indices and left atrial (LA) mechanics may vary independently of ventricular geometry. Such domain-specific heterogeneity complicates treatment response assessment when relying on a single echocardiographic parameter. We applied artificial intelligence (AI)–enabled automated echocardiographic quantification to characterize multidomain longitudinal remodeling after enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). Methods In this multicenter retrospective study, 169 transthoracic echocardiograms from approximately 100 patients with Fabry disease were analyzed using an FDA-cleared AI-based platform. Sixty-nine patients with paired baseline and follow-up examinations were included (35 untreated; 34 ERT-treated). Longitudinal change (Δ = follow-up − baseline) was assessed for LV structural indices, diastolic parameters, and LA reservoir strain. Results Follow-up duration was comparable between groups (5.35 ± 3.79 vs. 4.16 ± 2.50 years; p = 0.128). Untreated patients demonstrated progressive myocardial hypertrophy, whereas ERT-treated patients showed regression of LV mass (Δ LV mass index +22.65 ± 6.74 vs. −13.53 ± 6.45 g/m²; p < 0.001). Diastolic relaxation diverged between groups, declining in untreated patients but improving with ERT (Δ lateral e’ −1.01 ± 0.42 vs. +0.53 ± 0.39 cm/s; p = 0.010). The clearest separation was observed in LA reservoir strain, which decreased in untreated patients but increased substantially in the ERT group (Δ −1.63 ± 1.97% vs. +5.08 ± 1.69%; p = 0.012). In contrast, longitudinal changes in LV end-diastolic volume index, LV end-systolic volume index, LV ejection fraction, and lateral E/e’ were not significantly different between groups. Conclusions ERT was associated with regression of myocardial hypertrophy and improvement in diastolic and atrial mechanics despite stable ventricular volumes. Within an AI-enabled longitudinal framework, LA reservoir strain demonstrated clear discrimination between treated and untreated remodeling trajectories, highlighting its utility as a sensitive marker for tracking treatment-related cardiac remodeling in Fabry cardiomyopathy.
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Sung et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in Fabry cardiomyopathy (n=69). Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) vs. Untreated was evaluated on Longitudinal change in LA reservoir strain, LV mass index, and lateral e' (p=0.012). Enzyme replacement therapy in Fabry cardiomyopathy was associated with LV mass index regression (-13.53 vs +22.65 g/m²; p<0.001) and improved LA reservoir strain (+5.08% vs -1.63%; p=0.012).
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