First description of Portuguese patients with cardiac amyloidosis and p.Val142Ile: more evidence of an “African variant” in Caucasians

Abstract

Objectives. Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis caused by the (ATTRv) p. Val142Ile variant is a common cause of cardiac amyloidosis among Western African countries and Afro-Americans populations. However, in recent years, Caucasian patients have been identified in greater numbers, raising the question of whether this variant has been undeappreciated in this population. We now have new cases of cardiac amyloidosis caused by the p.Val142Ile from a center in northern Portugal. In addition, we reviewed and discussed the published data concerning p.Val142Ile in Caucasians. Design. Patients diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis underwent genetic testing using TTR gene sequencing and their relatives were recommended for genetic counsellingand testing if a pathogenic TTR variant was found. In our center, we reviewed the clinical data of patients who had the p.Val142Ile variant. A review of published cases of p.Val142Ile in Caucasians was also performed, to which our data was compared. Results. We found three ATTRv patients with the p.Val142Ile variant (one homozygotic), all Caucasian males with a median age at diagnosis of 69 years old. All of them had heart failure and arrhythmias. During the follow-up period, two patients died. There were 47 unrelated unrelated Caucasian cases of ATTRv p.Val142Ile variant reported worldwide until May 2022. Conclusions. Our findings add to the mounting evidence that the global prevalence of p.Val142Ile is likely understated. This highlights the importance of the systematic screening of the TTR gene in amyloidosis and phenocopies, as well as larger epidemiologic studies to determine the true ATTRv p.Val142Ile prevalence in non-African communities.

Keywords:

• Heart failure
• cardiac amyloidosis
• TTR gene
• variant
• genetic testing
• family screening

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge to all patients and their families who contributed to this paper.

Ethical approval

The study was performed according recommendations of Helsinki Declaration.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

No funding.