Transthyretin familial amyloid polyneuropathy (TTR-FAP) in Mallorca: a comparison between late- and early-onset disease.

The age of onset (AO) of hereditary ATTR amyloidosis (hATTR) is known to vary between populations, with differing characteristics reported according to AO in endemic/non-endemic foci. This was a retrospective study of patients with early AO (<50 years) and late AO (≥50 years) hATTR at our center in Mallorca. Data were collected on patient demographics, clinical disease manifestation, and physical symptoms. A total of 95 patients were analyzed, with mean follow-up of 9 years from diagnosis. The early AO group included 53 patients (33 male) and the late AO group included 42 patients (21 male). Neurologic involvement was the most common initial symptom, although it was significantly more frequent in the late AO vs. early AO group (p = 0.015). Autonomic involvement was observed in 26% of patients in the early AO group, but was rarely observed in the late AO group (5%). During follow up, cardiologic symptoms, renal involvement, and ophthalmologic symptoms were significantly more common in the late AO group (p < 0.05). This retrospective study demonstrates the variation in disease presentation and progression according to AO of hATTR at our Mallorcan center.

A description of variant transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) stage 1 patients and asymptomatic carriers in Spain: the EMPATIa study.

BACKGROUND: Variant transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) is a rare multisystemic disorder caused by mutations in the transthyretin (TTR) gene. The aim of the present work was to describe the clinical profile of asymptomatic carriers (AC) and Coutinho stage 1 ATTRv patients in Spain. METHODS: National, multicentre, cross-sectional study that included 86 AC and 19 patients diagnosed in the previous 12 months to enrolment. Clinical and demographical data, TTR gene mutations, red flags anamnesis, neurological and cardiological assessments were collected. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 56.8 years at onset and 58.6 years at diagnosis; 53% of patients and 51% of AC were from non-endemic areas. Val50Met was the most frequent mutation in both groups. Neuropathy impairment score data (mean 17.7 ± 20.5) and small-fibre function in lower limbs assessed with SUDOSCAN revealed that patients were diagnosed at early stages of neurological impairment. Peripheral polyneuropathy (84.2%), autonomic neuropathy (73.7%), cardiac (63.2%) and gastrointestinal (47.4%) alterations were the most common symptoms in patients. Autonomic neuropathy, gastrointestinal impairment, carpal tunnel syndrome, cardiac and ocular alterations were potentially related to ATTRv in the AC group. CONCLUSIONS: The EMPATIa study provides a detailed description of AC and Coutinho stage 1 ATTRv patients across Spain, confirming the multisystemic clinical profile of the disease. This study reveals a diagnosis delay around 1.8 years, highlighting the importance of a profound disease awareness to reach a diagnose in earlier stages of neurological impairment.

Transthyretin deposition in the eye in the era of effective therapy for hereditary ATTRV30M amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND: Ocular abnormalities have been known to occur in hereditary amyloidotic polyneuropathy since the 1950s. While vitreous opacities and scalloped pupils were described early it has become evident that every component of the eye from the conjunctiva to the retinal vasculature can be involved. Reports from the major centres in Japan, Portugal and Sweden, which primarily treat patients with ATTRV30M, have indicated that with the increased longevity seen in patients treated with liver transplantation the frequency of the more severe eye findings, notably vitreous opacities and subsequent glaucoma, are being detected more frequently. METHODS: In an attempt to confirm that the experience was similar in a broader range of locales we performed a survey of ten treatment centres in eight countries to determine the frequency of severe ocular abnormalities (vitreous opacities and glaucoma) in 804 patients with V30M disease and whether there was any relationship to treatment with liver transplantation or the transthyretin stabilizer tafamidis. RESULTS: The data indicate that the frequency of these abnormalities increases with increasing duration of disease. In patients broadly matched for duration of disease the frequency was higher in subjects who had undergone liver transplantation than in those who were untreated. CONCLUSIONS: Retrospective surveys are subject to a number of potential biases. In this case, the major potential confounders were defining the time of disease onset and physician bias in choice of therapy, particularly regarding the choice of patients and the time in their course when they should undergo liver transplantation, and when and whether they should receive tafamidis. Nonetheless it appears that the incidence of severe ocular abnormalities in V30M subjects from centres around the world is similar to those found in centres in the areas endemic for this variant protein. The incidence increased with duration of disease regardless of therapy with the highest frequencies seen in patients more than ten years after diagnosis who had undergone liver transplantation.

Early diagnosis in patients with transthyretin familial amyloid polyneuropathy: A comparative study. / Diagnóstico precoz en pacientes con polineuropatía amiloidótica familiar asociada a transtirretina. Estudio comparativo.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Transthyretin-associated familial amyloid polyneuropathy (TTR-FAP) is a disease caused by the deposit of abnormal transthyretin on tissues, mainly nerves. Small nerve fibers are altered earlier during the course of the disease; hence, detection of their involvement may have serious consequences on the natural history of disease. METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational study, was carried out on symptomatic patients, involving the conduct of several tests for small nerve fibers: Vibration, Touch Pressure (TP) and Heat Pain (HP). Results were compared with those obtained during a conventional neurological examination carried out on a group of healthy individuals. RESULTS: Fifteen symptomatic patients were recruited at an early stage of the disease (60% stage 1), along with 13 healthy individuals, with both patient groups having similar epidemiological characteristics in terms of gender, age, weight, height or BMI. A comparison carried out between the neuropsychological tests performed revealed statistically significant differences: Vibration (P<.05), TP (P<.05) and HP (P<.05, except volar forearm). CONCLUSIONS: The neurophysiological tests performed revealed significant differences between both groups, allowing for an earlier detection of neurological injuries compared to conventional neurological examinations.

Diagnóstico precoz en pacientes con polineuropatía amiloidótica familiar asociada a transtirretina. Estudio comparativo / Early diagnosis in patients with transthyretin familial amyloid polyneuropathy: A comparative study

Introducción y objetivo: La polineuropatía amiloidótica familiar causada por transtirretina) está caracterizada por la afectación del sistema nervioso. Las fibras nerviosas pequeñas se alteran de manera más precoz, por lo que la detección de su afectación tiene implicaciones serias en la historia natural de la enfermedad. Métodos: Estudio transversal, en el que se realizaron pruebas de detección de afectación de fibras nerviosas pequeñas en pacientes sintomáticos con TTR-PAF: Vibration, Touch Pressure (TP) y Heat Pain (HP). Los resultados se compararon con la exploración neurológica convencional y con un grupo de individuos sanos. Resultados: Se seleccionaron 15 pacientes con TTR-PAF en una fase precoz de la enfermedad (60% en estadio 1) y 13 individuos sanos. En la comparación entre ambos grupos no existían diferencias en cuanto a sexo, edad, peso, talla o IMC; sin embargo, en los test neurofisiológicos realizados se evidenciaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas: Vibration (p < 0,05), TP (p < 0,05) y HP (p < 0,05, excepto en la localización de antebrazo). Conclusiones: Los test neurofisiológicos realizados describen diferencias significativas entre ambos grupos, lo que podría permitir la detección del daño neurológico de forma más precoz que cuando se realiza una exploración neurológica convencional (AU)

Introduction and objective: Transthyretin-associated familial amyloid polyneuropathy (TTR-FAP) is a disease caused by the deposit of abnormal transthyretin on tissues, mainly nerves. Small nerve fibers are altered earlier during the course of the disease; hence, detection of their involvement may have serious consequences on the natural history of disease. Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study, was carried out on symptomatic patients, involving the conduct of several tests for small nerve fibers: Vibration, Touch Pressure (TP) and Heat Pain (HP). Results were compared with those obtained during a conventional neurological examination carried out on a group of healthy individuals. Results: Fifteen symptomatic patients were recruited at an early stage of the disease (60% stage 1), along with 13 healthy individuals, with both patient groups having similar epidemiological characteristics in terms of gender, age, weight, height or BMI. A comparison carried out between the neuropsychological tests performed revealed statistically significant differences: Vibration (P < .05), TP (P < .05) and HP (P < .05, except volar forearm). Conclusions: The neurophysiological tests performed revealed significant differences between both groups, allowing for an earlier detection of neurological injuries compared to conventional neurological examinations (AU)

Fiebre mediterránea familiar / Familiar mediterranean fever

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