Early Diagnosis of ATTR-CM by Age- and Carpal Tunnel Biopsy-Guided Screening | JACC: Advances

Summary: Did you know that a common wrist problem could be a secret warning sign for your heart? Doctors recently studied older patients (around age 79) getting surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome. They tested the tissue from the patients' wrists and found that over half had a buildup of abnormal proteins called amyloids.

When doctors checked the hearts of these patients, about 17% had a rare heart condition called ATTR-CM (cardiac amyloidosis). The best part of this discovery? Finding this heart condition through a wrist biopsy caught the disease much earlier than usual. These patients had milder symptoms and less heart damage compared to people diagnosed the traditional way. So, fixing a numb hand might just give doctors the head start they need to save your heart!

Source: JACC: Advances URL: jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacadv.2026.102725 (opens in new tab)