ATTR-CM remains a highly elusive and life-threatening diagnosis. |
Numerous clinical scenarios with both cardiac and extra-cardiac manifestations can serve as screening tools for clinicians. |
Definitive diagnosis of ATTR-CM can now be made noninvasively with newer imaging techniques. |
Cardiac scintigraphy remains an indispensable imaging modality in the diagnosis of ATTR-CM. |
A positive cardiac scintigraphy scan does not differentiate ATTR-CM from AL-amyloid CM, therefore a thorough multidisciplinary evaluation is still required. |
Introduction
Prevalence
Subtypes and Pathogenesis
ATTR-CMwt | ATTR-CMh | |
---|---|---|
Age of onset | Typically > 60 years | Variable depending on mutation (30–80 years) |
Genotype | Normal | Abnormal, nucleotide mutations present |
Survival | Approximately 3.5 years | Variable depending on genetic mutation |
Patient demographics | Male African American Increased prevalence with age | Mutations are endemic to certain locations Ireland Japan Sub-Saharan Africa |
Clinical Manifestations
Cardiac Involvement and Differential Diagnoses
Extracardiac Involvement
Diagnostic Tools
Serology
Electrocardiogram
Imaging
Transthoracic Echocardiography
CMR Imaging
Cardiac Scintigraphy with 99m Technetium Pyrophosphate (TC-99m PYP)
Test | Salient features |
---|---|
Electrocardiogram | Discrepancy between left ventricular thickness and QRS voltage |
Echocardiogram | Increased left ventricular wall thickness Reduced longitudinal strain with apical sparing on strain imaging |
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging | Marked extracellular volume expansion Abnormal nulling of myocardium on T1 mapping Delayed gadolinium enhancement |
Cardiac scintigraphy | Increased radiotracer uptake |
Serology | Mild chronic cardiac biomarker elevation Lack of biomarkers for amyloid light-chain amyloidosis |
Salient clinical features | Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction Intolerance to beta-blockers or ace inhibitors No longer hypertensive Neuropathy Carpal tunnel syndrome Biceps tendon rupture Lumbar spinal stenosis |