Publication of cardiac ATTR amyloidosis diagnosis guidelines

ARC-supported consensus best practices guidelines for the diagnosis of cardiac ATTR amyloidosis published in the journal of the American Heart Association, Circulation:Heart Failure.

The Amyloidosis Research Consortium (“ARC”), a non-profit dedicated to accelerating the development of new and innovative treatments to improve the quality of life for amyloidosis patients, today announced the publication of “Expert Consensus Recommendations for the Suspicion and Diagnosis of Transthyretin Amyloidosis” in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure.  The article is the product of an ARC-convened group of experts in ATTR amyloidosis, who agreed upon best practices for the suspicion, diagnosis and characterization of the disease. The article, which describes these consensus practices for ATTR associated with cardiomyopathy, was lead-authored by Dr. Mathew S. Maurer, Arnold and Arlene Goldstein Professor of Cardiology, Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and can be accessed at https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.119.006075

“ATTR amyloidosis is an underrecognized and potentially underdiagnosed disease in which the transthyretin protein misfolds to form fibrils that deposit in various tissues and organs,” commented Dr. Maurer.  “Due to the heterogeneity of symptoms and relative lack of disease awareness, the average patient can see several doctors and go many years before being accurately diagnosed.  This article includes information that we believe will aid cardiologists and others in reducing the time to diagnosis of ATTR amyloidosis associated with cardiomyopathy, which should lead to more effective treatment outcomes.”

“We are proud to have initiated and managed the process that resulted in the promulgation of these best practices recommendations,” stated Isabelle Lousada, President and CEO of ARC.  “The collaboration behind this effort represents ARC’s commitment to research that will directly benefit amyloidosis patients. We look forward to the future publication of similar consensus reviews focused on neurological, and other more general symptomatology of ATTR amyloidosis. Earlier diagnosis can mean earlier treatment, thereby leading to improved outcomes for amyloidosis patients.”