Are you male, over 80-years-old, and interested in taking part in medical research?

The National Amyloidosis Centre at the Royal Free Hospital would like to invite men aged over 80, with no known heart disease, to take part in a research study.

What is the purpose of the study?

The purpose of the study is to scan the hearts of healthy men aged over 80 to look for abnormal protein deposits that occur in a condition called ATTR amyloidosis. This condition mainly affects men after the age of 70 and until recently it was believed to be very rare, diagnosed in only about 100 people in the UK each year. However, post mortem studies have found ATTR amyloid deposits in the hearts of 10-20% of deceased elderly men, and evidence from echocardiography studies suggests that ATTR amyloid deposition in the heart may be much more common than was previously believed.

This study aims to investigate the true prevalence and potential health consequences of ATTR amyloid deposition in the hearts of elderly men.

What does the study involve?

All study participants will undergo a specialist heart scan at the National Amyloidosis Centre and some participants will undergo a few additional tests. The scan is safe, painless and non-invasive, apart from receiving a single injection in to the vein. Detailed information and explanation of the proposed scan will be provided to enable fully informed consent. The doctors at the National Amyloidosis Centre will notify your GP of any abnormal results and give advice on further management.

You will receive £50 compensation for your time and effort in taking part in the study, and transport to and from the National Amyloidosis Centre will be provided.

For more information, please contact the researchers on the details below. If you email the researchers, please include your phone number.

Ms Thirusha Lane, email: t.lane@ucl.ac.uk, tel: 0207 433 2759
Dr Julian Gillmore, email: j.gillmore@ucl.ac.uk, tel: 0207 433 2726

The study is being sponsored by University College London, and has been approved by NRES Committee South Central - Hampshire B ethics committee (REC ref. no. 13/SC/0643). All information will be treated in the strictest confidence.