Coexistence of degenerative aortic stenosis and wild type transthyretin-related cardiac amyloidosis: a potentially dangerous association that can be non-invasively identified

Background Degenerative aortic stenosis (AS) and wild type transthyretin (TTR)-related cardiac amyloidosis (wt-ATTR) share a common demographic and clinical profile. It has been recently suggested that the coexistence of wt-ATTR could negatively influence the outcome of elderly patients with aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). TTR-related cardiac amyloidosis can be accurately identified by technetium-99m-3, 3-diphosphono-1, 2 propanodicarboxylic acid (99mTc-DPD) scintigraphy. We decided to investigate the coexistence of cardiac amyloidosis in elderly patients with aortic stenosis referred for aortic valve replacement (TAVR or surgery).