Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37849451›Full record

ArticleAnnals of clinical and translational neurology2023

Amyloid detection and typing yield of skin biopsy in systemic amyloidosis and polyneuropathy.

Sandra Pinton, Elena Vacchi, Giacomo Chiaro, Andrea Raimondi, Alexandar Tzankov, Bernhard Gerber, Claudio Gobbi, Alain Kaelin-Lang, Giorgia Melli

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of clinical and translational neurology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Skin Biopsy as a Diagnostic Tool for ATTRv Amyloid Neuropathy in the UK.Journal of the peripheral nervous system : JPNS · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Cardiovascular autonomic failure in hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis and TTR carriers is an early and progressive disease marker.Clinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society · 2024
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Sandra PintonNeurology Department, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland.
Elena VacchiNeurology Department, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland.
Giacomo ChiaroNeurology Department, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland.
Andrea RaimondiInstitute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland.
Alexandar TzankovHistopathology, Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Bernhard GerberClinic of Hematology, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland.
Claudio GobbiNeurology Department, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland.
Alain Kaelin-LangNeurology Department, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland.
Giorgia MelliNeurology Department, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-2069-4620
Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences · CHUniversity Hospital of Basel · CHUniversity of Bern · CHUniversity of Zurich · CHVita-Salute San Raffaele University · IT

Funding

AFRI-EOC institutional grants 10.2022
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveDisease-modifying therapies are available for amyloidosis but are ineffective if end-organ damage is severe. As small fiber neuropathy is an early and common feature of amyloidosis, we assessed detection and typing yield of skin biopsy for amyloid in patients with confirmed systemic amyloidosis and neuropathic symptoms.

methodsIn this case-control study, patients with transthyretin and light chain amyloidosis (ATTRv, ATTRwt, and AL) were consecutively recruited. They were sex and age-matched to three control groups (1) non-neuropathic controls (NNC), (2) monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), and (3) other neuropathic disease controls (ONC). Patients underwent a double 3 mm skin biopsy in proximal and distal leg. Amyloid index and burden, protein typing by immuno-electron microscopy, intraepidermal nerve fiber density, electroneuromyography, and clinical characteristics were analyzed.

resultsWe studied 15 subjects with confirmed systemic amyloidosis, 20 NNC, 18 MGUS, and 20 ONC. Amyloid was detected in 100% of patients with amyloidosis (87% in ankle and 73% in thigh). It was not detected in any of the control groups. A small fiber neuropathy was encountered in 100% of amyloidosis patients, in 80% of MGUS, and in 78% of ONC. Amyloid burden was higher in ATTRv, followed by AL and ATTRwt. The ultrastructural examination allowed the identification of the precursor protein by immunotyping in most of the cases.

interpretationSkin biopsy is a minimally invasive test with optimal sensitivity for amyloid. It allows amyloid typing by electron microscope to identify the precursor protein. The diagnostic work up of systemic amyloidosis should include a skin biopsy.

Indexed as

AmyloidosisPeripheral Nervous System DiseasesPolyneuropathiesSmall Fiber NeuropathyAmyloidBiopsyCase-Control StudiesHumansAmyloid

Identifiers

PMID37849451
PMCPMC10723241
OpenAlexW4387728558

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.