Successful management of refractory constipation using Kampo medicine Mashiningan in a patient with wild-type ATTR cardiac amyloidosis

Abstract

Abstract A wild-type ATTR amyloidosis is a systemic disease with multi-organ dysfunction, involving heart, kidney, skin, and gastrointestinal tract, due to deposition of wild-type transthyretin in each organ. We had a 76-year-old man diagnosed with wild-type ATTR cardiac amyloidosis, whose heart failure symptom improved by anti-heart failure medications but constipation refractory to multiple conventional medications persisted. Following the conversion from lubiprostone to Kampo medicine mashiningan, his average days per one evacuation decreased from around 7.0 days down to 1.6 days. Mashininigan might be an alternative option to improve refractory constipation in patients with cardiac amyloidosis.