Kim Myeong Seop, Lee Soo Youn, Kim Kyung-Hee
Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, Incheon Sejong Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
J Yeungnam Med Sci. 2023 Nov;40(Suppl):S98-S104. doi: 10.12701/jyms.2023.00241. Epub 2023 May 30.
Hereditary transthyretin (ATTRv) amyloidosis is a rare and complex genetic disorder that can lead to life-threatening cardiac amyloidosis and rapid disease progression. Early diagnosis and treatment with disease-modifying drugs can improve patient outcomes; however, heart transplantation may be necessary in some patients. We present the unique case of a 65-year-old Korean woman diagnosed with ATTRv amyloidosis after experiencing progressive neurological symptoms, followed by heart failure. Despite the absence of significant symptoms of heart failure, subsequent screening revealed cardiac amyloid infiltration, which caused left ventricular hypertrophy and rapid disease progression. The patient underwent successful heart transplantation, and subsequent genetic testing revealed a pathogenic variant, NM_000371.3:c.425T>C (p.Val142Ala), which affects both the nerves and heart and has not been previously reported in Korea. Our report underscores the potential benefits of heart transplantation in managing advanced ATTRv amyloidosis and emphasizes the need for continued research on the genetic heterogeneity of the disease. Clinicians should consider ATTRv amyloidosis in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with neurological symptoms and heart failure, particularly in those with a family history of the disease.
遗传性转甲状腺素蛋白(ATTRv)淀粉样变性是一种罕见且复杂的遗传性疾病,可导致危及生命的心脏淀粉样变性和疾病快速进展。早期诊断并使用疾病修饰药物进行治疗可改善患者预后;然而,部分患者可能需要进行心脏移植。我们报告了一例独特病例,一名65岁韩国女性在出现进行性神经症状后被诊断为ATTRv淀粉样变性,随后出现心力衰竭。尽管当时并无明显的心力衰竭症状,但后续筛查发现了心脏淀粉样蛋白浸润,导致左心室肥厚和疾病快速进展。该患者成功接受了心脏移植,随后的基因检测发现了一个致病变体,即NM_000371.3:c.425T>C(p.Val142Ala),该变体同时影响神经和心脏,此前在韩国尚未有过报道。我们的报告强调了心脏移植在治疗晚期ATTRv淀粉样变性中的潜在益处,并强调了对该疾病基因异质性持续研究的必要性。临床医生在对出现神经症状和心力衰竭的患者进行鉴别诊断时,应考虑ATTRv淀粉样变性,尤其是那些有该疾病家族史的患者。