Did you know that millions of people in Europe are living with heart failure, leading to millions of hospitalizations every year? One type of heart failure, called HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), affects half of all heart failure patients. Among these patients, a condition called cardiac amyloidosis occurs in about 10-15% of those over 60 years old.
Cardiac amyloidosis is the most common form of systemic amyloidosis, where abnormal proteins called AL and SAP accumulate in the heart. It is a serious condition, with the heart being affected in about 70% of cases. Unfortunately, it is often missed or misdiagnosed, especially in the early stages, due to a lack of accurate tools and tests.

Treating AL amyloidosis is challenging. It involves intense chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplantation. However, not all patients respond equally well, and the treatment can have strong side effects. Many newly diagnosed patients can not undergo the best treatment if they are already in advanced stages of the disease.

But here is some exciting news! The DETECIT project is working on a groundbreaking solution for early diagnosis and monitoring of cardiac AL amyloidosis. They are developing a special nanotracer, a tiny particle, that can detect amyloidosis in the heart. By using advanced imaging techniques, they are testing this nanotracer in mice with AL amyloidosis. They are also developing specific antibodies, called nanobodies, that target the abundant proteins involved in the disease.

If successful, this innovative approach could revolutionize the treatment of cardiac amyloidosis. Early detection would allow doctors to start appropriate treatments sooner, reducing healthcare costs and improving patient outcomes. This research brings hope to those affected by this condition and may save lives.
Stay tuned for more updates on the DETECIT project as they work towards transforming the future of diagnosing and treating cardiac amyloidosis