The genetic mutations responsible for the rare progressive disease hereditary transthyretin (hATTR) amyloidosis can be traced to specific founder populations or geographic areas.1 In the United States, the most common mutation in the transthyretin protein is p.V142I.2 This mutation has origins in West Africa and, importantly, 3.9% of African Americans are estimated to harbor this mutation.3,4
References: 1. Adams D, Koike H, Slama M, Coelho T. Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis: a model of medical progress for a fatal disease. Nat Rev Neurol. 2019;15(7):387-404. 2. Maurer MS, Hanna M, Grogan M, et al. Genotype and phenotype of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis: THAOS (Transthyretin Amyloid Outcome Survey). J Am Coll Cardiol. 2016;68(2):161-172. 3. Buxbaum J, Ruberg FL. Transthyretin V122I (pV142I)* cardiac amyloidosis: an age-dependent autosomal dominant cardiomyopathy too common to be overlooked as a cause of significant heart disease in elderly African Americans. Genet Med. 2017;19:(7)733-742. 4. Ando Y, Coelho T, Berk JL, et al. Guideline of transthyretin-related hereditary amyloidosis for clinicians. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2013;8:31.
