Hereditary transthyretin(hATTR)amyloidosisis a rareinherited disease.
It is brought on by a variant, or change, in the transthyretin (TTR)gene.
This protein transportsthyroid hormoneandvitamin Ato your body tissues.
Portra / Getty Images
The disease commonly affects the nerves and heart.
Over time, hATTR often becomes more severe and causes more extreme damage.
Finding the disease early can help you starttreatmentto delay how fast the disease progresses.
This article describes hATTR amyloidosis, its prognosis, factors that affect its progress, and treatments.
About 6,400 Americans have been diagnosed with hATTR.
In the United States, hATTR amyloidosis is most common among Americans of European descent.
It affects about 1 in 100,000 people in this group.
However, its exact incidence is unknown because it is considered significantly misdiagnosed.
The condition hATTR amyloidosis is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.
While most people who inherit the TTR mutation develop hATTR amyloidosis, some may never have the disease.
Research indicates that the disease leads to death in an average of six to 12 years afterdiagnosis.
Death is often related to cardiac issues.
Factors Influencing hATTR Amyloidosis Prognosis
Several factors can influence your hATTR amyloidosis prognosis.
Disease progression can be unpredictable even among members of the same family.
However, inheritance from father to daughter protects female offspring from this.
The goal of therapy is to reduce the amount of abnormal TTR proteins circulating in your bloodstream.
It can also affect your mental health, making you feel low and alone.
Early diagnosis can help you take advantage of early treatments that can slow disease progression.
It is also easier to control and relieve symptoms of pain before your disease worsens.
If just one parent has an hATTR amyloidosis mutation, contact your healthcare provider to discuss your disease risk.
2019;26(1):3-9. doi:10.1080/13506129.2018.1556156
Amyloidosis Research Consortium (ARC).Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis.
