Clinical Research Directory

ATTR Amyloid Cardiomyopathy: Characterization of Extracellular Vesicles as Potential Disease Stratifiers and Prognostic Biomarkers

This study explores whether extracellular vesicles (EVs) tiny particles released into the bloodstream by cells can serve as early and minimally invasive biomarkers for transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). Because ATTR-CM is often diagnosed only after significant heart damage has occurred, there is an urgent need for earlier detection methods. The study will enroll individuals with different clinical presentations of transthyretin amyloidosis, along with healthy controls. Participants will undergo blood sampling, cardiac imaging (including echocardiography, cardiac MRI, and scintigraphy when indicated), and molecular EV analysis. By comparing EV profiles across groups, the study aims to determine whether these vesicles reflect early cardiac involvement, track disease progression, and support more accurate and timely diagnosis. Ultimately, this research seeks to improve clinical decision-making and patient outcomes in ATTR cardiomyopathy.

Quantitative Analysis of Myocardial Uptake of Bone Radiopharmaceuticals in Patients With Cardiac ATTR Amyloidosis

Introduction: Transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR) is an important cause of heart failure. Cardiac planar radionuclide imaging using 99mTc-labeled bone seeking radiopharmaceuticals is used as a noninvasive diagnostic criterion in patients without detectable monoclonal protein. The visual assessment remains the main noninvasive criterion for the diagnosis. Medical therapy using tafamidis meglumine that binds to transthyretin and prevents amyloidogenesis, recently demonstrated a reduction in all-cause mortality and cardiovascular-related hospitalizations. As a consequence, there is a need for quantitative approaches that would be useful for diagnosis and prognosis assessment but also for the evaluation of patient therapeutic response. Materials and methods: The investigators aim to include 35 patients with a suspected diagnosis of cardiac ATTR amyloidosis in whom a cardiac planar radionuclide imaging using 99mTc-labeled bone seeking radiopharmaceuticals is planned as part of routine noninvasive diagnosis work-up. Using a test-retest approach, the aim is to compare a quantitative method vs. conventional semi-quantitative approaches for the assessment of cardiac uptake of bone radiopharmaceuticals using new 3D CZT-based SPECT-CT cameras in patients with suspected cardiac ATTR amyloidosis. The investigators estimated that 20 patients will have a diagnosis of cardiac ATTR amyloidosis. In the latter patients, the aim is to evaluate the impact of 6-month therapy using tafamidis on quantitative and semi-quantitative assessment of cardiac uptake of bone radiopharmaceuticals Perspectives: This new non invasive imaging techniques for the quantitative assessment of the amyloid burden in patients with cardiac ATTR amyloidosis may help identify the responders and the patients who should benefit from dose intensification.