Predictors of cognitive dysfunction in hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis with liver transplant

Abstract

Background

Cognitive dysfunction is part of the broad spectrum of clinical manifestations in older untreated hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis patients with peripheral polyneuropathy.

Objective

The objective of this study is to systematically explore cognitive dysfunction in ATTRV30M amyloidosis patients whose disease course was modified by liver transplant (LT).

Methods

A series of 269 carriers of TTRVal30Met mutation treated with LT underwent a neuropsychological assessment. Clinical charts were reviewed to identify focal neurological episodes (FNEs), cognitive complaints and laboratory results. Chi-square and Mann–Whitney tests explored potential predictors of cognitive dysfunction.

Results

Cognitive dysfunction was identified in 35 patients (13%)−14 (5%) had mild and 21 (8%) had moderate dysfunction. In comparison to normal cognition, both mild and moderate cognitive dysfunction patients had older age, higher mPND score and elevated NT-proBNP and Cystatin C values. Mild cognitive dysfunction was associated with longer disease duration and history of FNEs, whereas moderate dysfunction was related to older age at disease onset and more cognitive complaints and depression symptoms.

Conclusions

Consistent with the natural history of the disease, older age and higher severity of the disease are significantly associated and potentially predictors of cognitive dysfunction in ATTRV30M patients treated with LT. The level of cognitive dysfunction may depend on some clinical variables.

Keywords:

• Central nervous system
• cognition
• familial amyloid polyneuropathy
• hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis
• liver transplant

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all the patients who participated in this study. They also thank all the staff who assisted with data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was approved by the authorship and/or publication of this article.