Finding transthyretin heart amyloid from lumbar spine surgery tissue
Official title: Analysis of Lumbar Spine Stenosis Specimens for Identification of Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11374113 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for transthyretin (TTR) amyloid in tissue removed during lumbar spine surgery to find people who may later develop TTR cardiac amyloidosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $688,635 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG081582-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11374113 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are older adults (typically over 60) who had lumbar spinal stenosis surgery with available spinal tissue and possible prior orthopedic signs such as bilateral carpal tunnel or joint replacements.
✕Less likely to help
People without prior lumbar spine surgery, without available tissue specimens, or whose tissue does not contain TTR amyloid are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
If you had lumbar spinal stenosis surgery, researchers will test your removed spine tissue for TTR amyloid using specialized lab stains and molecular tests. The multi-center, prospective cohort will identify people with TTR-positive spine specimens and collect clinical histories of orthopedic signs like carpal tunnel or tendon rupture. Participants will be followed with heart checks over time to see who develops transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis. The aim is to use common orthopedic specimens to flag people at higher risk years before heart symptoms appear.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable earlier detection of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis so patients can get monitoring or treatment before severe heart problems develop.
How similar studies have gone: Early pilot data indicate amyloid is common in lumbar spine stenosis and many deposits are TTR, supporting this approach, but larger prospective confirmation is still needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maurer, Mathew S — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Maurer, Mathew S
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.