Amyloid Cardiomyopathy in African Americans and the Transthyretin Linkage Associated with Macroglossia: A Rare Presentation

Roberto Ramirez¹, Glenmore Lasam^1, and Gina LaCapra¹

¹Department of Medicine, Overlook Medical Center, Summit, NJ 07901 USA

Cite this paper:
Roberto Ramirez, Glenmore Lasam and Gina LaCapra. Amyloid Cardiomyopathy in African Americans and the Transthyretin Linkage Associated with Macroglossia: A Rare Presentation. American Journal of Cardiovascular Disease Research. 2016; 4(2):21-24. doi: 10.12691/ajcdr-4-2-3

Abstract

We report a case of a 63 year old African American female with congestive heart failure, poorly controlled hypertension, and end stage renal disease admitted for STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction) and hypertensive crisis. Macroglossia was noticed during hospitalization and an echocardiogram was suggestive of cardiac infiltrative disease. Protein electrophoresis and immunofixation were negative. Although macroglossia is a common finding in light chain (AL) amyloidosis, there are reported cases in transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis. Learning objective: To highlight a rare presentation of transthyretin amyloidosis, and to raise awareness of this disease and its particular prevalence in the African American and African Caribbean populations.

Keywords:
amyloidosis African-American african-caribbean transthyretin amyloidosis macroglossia; congestive heart failure

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