Role of natriuretic peptide to predict cardiac abnormalities in patients with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND

Familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) mainly targets the peripheral nervous system and heart. Early noninvasive detection of cardiac impairment is critical for therapeutic management.

AIM

To assess if amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) or troponin T (cTnT) can predict echocardiographic left-ventricle (LV) impairment in FAP.

METHODS

Thirty-six asymptomatic carriers and patients with FAP had echocardiographic measurement of left-ventricular (LV) systolic function, hypertrophy (LVH) and estimation of filling pressure (FP).

RESULTS

Overall, median age, NT-proBNP, and LV ejection fraction were, respectively, 59 years (41-74), 323 pg/ml (58-1960), and 60% (51-66). Twelve patients had increased cTnT. Prevalence of ATTR gene mutations was 53% for Val30Met. Four individuals were asymptomatic, 6 patients had isolated neurological clinical signs, and 26 had echo-LV abnormalities. The ROC curve identified NT-proBNP patients with echo-LV abnormalities (area: 0.92; (0.83-0.99), p = 0.001) at a threshold >82 pg/ml with a sensitivity of 92%, and a specificity of 90%. Increased in NT-proBNP occurred in patients with SD and/or LVH with or without increase in FP. Elevated cTnT (>0.01 ng/ml) was only observed in patients with LVH and systolic dysfunction, with or without FP.

CONCLUSION

In FAP, NT-proBNP was associated with cardiac impairment suggesting that NT-proBNP could be used in carriers or in FAP patients with only neurologic symptoms for identifying the appropriate time to start cardiac echocardiographic assessment and follow-up. cTnT identified patients with severe cardiac disease.