Pedro Palma

Dr. Pedro Palma


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

1Year (2026-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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25 September 2026 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
RMRaquel Machado
Raquel Machado
SMSara Maia
Sara Maia
EOEmanuel Oliveira
Emanuel Oliveira
PPPedro Palma
Pedro Palma
HMHelena Moreira
Helena Moreira
EMELISABETE MARTINS
ELISABETE MARTINS
Background/Objectives: Idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) can frequently precede the clinical diagnosis of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA). This study aimed to comprehensively characterize the standard and advanced echocardiographic phenotype in a screening cohort of patients with CTS assessed for concurrent ATTR-CA. Methods: Thirty-three patients with idiopathic CTS underwent comprehensive standard and advanced echocardiography. The presence of concurrent ATTR-CA was assessed using 99mTc-DPD scintigraphy, allowing the stratification of the cohort into an amyloidosis group and a non-amyloidosis control group for comparative analysis. Results: Based on scintigraphy, 8 patients (24.2%) were diagnosed with presumptive ATTR-CA, acknowledging that AL amyloidosis was not systematically excluded, while 25 served as scintigraphy-negative controls. Standard echocardiography revealed greater wall thickness and worse diastolic function (p < 0.001) in the scintigraphy-positive group. Advanced imaging demonstrated profound left ventricular (LV) mechanical dysfunction, with severely reduced global longitudinal strain (p < 0.001) and a high prevalence of apical sparing (p < 0.001). Non-invasive myocardial work (MW) analysis showed a marked reduction in Global Constructive Work (p = 0.005) and Global Work Index (p = 0.017) in scintigraphy-positive patients, despite a relatively preserved LV ejection fraction. Multi-chamber strain analysis unmasked a pan-cardiac myopathy in the amyloid group, characterized by severe impairment of right ventricular (RV) global strain (p = 0.004) and profound depression of both left (p = 0.002) and right (p < 0.001) atrial reservoir strains. Conclusions: In patients with CTS, positive scintigraphy is characterized by severe, afterload-adjusted LV mechanical failure and profound biatrial and RV dysfunction. Advanced multi-chamber strain and MW indices show potential as non-invasive markers to help identify previously unrecognized pan-cardiac amyloid infiltration, guiding prompt diagnostic referral.