Wild-type ATTR Amyloidosis (ATTRwt) is age related and mainly affects the heart.
TTR is a natural protein made mostly in the liver. Its role is to transport the hormone thyroxine and retinol (Vitamin A) around the body, hence its name transthyretin. In ATTR amyloidosis, the TTR protein becomes unstable, misfolds and forms amyloid deposits in various organs of the body.
In ATTRwt, the natural TTR protein becomes unstable with age, making it prone to misfold and form amyloid deposits mainly in the heart, causing cardiomyopathy. ATTRwt is most commonly reported in men over the age of 60.
We believe that ATTRwt is massively under-diagnosed and is often the underlying cause of heart failure.
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Symptoms usually start after the age of 60 and are mostly associated with cardiomyopathy. Amyloid deposits in the heart make the heart wall stiffen and work inefficiently. Eventually this leads to congestive heart failure with symptoms such as shortness of breath, leg swelling, fatigue, nausea and an irregular heartbeat or palpitations.
Recent studies have shown that other symptoms unrelated to the heart may also exist and in some cases often are present 8-10 years before heart-related symptoms, the most commonly reported is carpal tunnel syndrome.