Achilles Tendon Softness may help detect Familial hypercholesterolemia
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominantly inherited disease characterized by markedly increased serum low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, formation of xanthomas, including those causing thickening of the Achilles tendon (AT), and early-onset coronary artery disease (CAD).
In a recent study, researchers have reported that AT softness along with AT thickness (AT-T) helps to diagnose familial hypercholesterolemia. The research has been published in the JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging on March 31, 2021.
Despite being specific for FH, AT xanthomas may clinically be undetectable which may lead to under-diagnosis. To date, ultrasonography has been used to assess Achilles tendon thickness (ATT) to diagnose patients with familial hypercholesterolemia. Researchers hypothesized that the softness of the Achilles tendon might also be an important indicator of FH."We hope that Achilles tendon elastography may encourage clinicians to diagnose FH more correctly and actively," said author Masatsune Ogura, MD, PhD, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Osaka, Japan, in an interview.
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