Amyloidosis

Introduction to amyloidosis Amyloidosis is a group of diseases. The common feature of this group of diseases is that a uniform microfibrous substance is deposited in tissues and organs, causing abnormalities in organ structure and function, causing clinical signs and symptoms of response. This disease is often involved. The organs are kidney, heart, tongue, liver and spleen, gastrointestinal tract and skin. Amyloid is a globulin and mucopolysaccharide complex, because it has a starch-like chemical reaction (such as reaction with iodine), so the name is actually not related to carbohydrate starch. basic knowledge Sickness ratio: 0.05% Susceptible people: no specific population Mode of infection: non-infectious complication:

Cause of amyloidosis

The reason is not clear. It has been proved that there are two substances, namely amyloid-promoting factor and amyloid-producing factor. The former has accelerated the precipitation of amyloid degeneration. Due to the imbalance between the two, it may play an important role in the pathogenesis of amyloidosis. effect.

Amyloidosis prevention

Since the etiology of amyloidosis is unclear, there is no way to prevent primary amyloidosis.

Secondary amyloidosis can only initiate inflammatory diseases of amyloidosis by prophylactic or effective treatment, such as tuberculosis and rheumatoid arthritis. If drugs can be used to control rheumatoid arthritis, it develops into secondary starch. The likelihood of a degenerative disease will decrease.

Amyloidosis complications Complication

There are usually no special complications.

Symptoms of amyloidosis common symptoms hematuria heart enlargement nephrotic syndrome papule conduction block refractory cardiac insufficiency proteinuria cardiac hypertrophy

Amyloidosis can involve multiple systemic organs, and clinical manifestations depend on the organ involved.

1. Kidney: manifested as proteinuria, hematuria or nephrotic syndrome.

2. Heart: hypertrophy of the heart, enlarged heart, conduction block, heart rhythm disorder and intractable cardiac insufficiency.

3. Tongue hypertrophy: can cause speech difficulties, tongue pain.

4. Spleen: There is swelling of the spleen, but there are no symptoms.

5. Gastrointestinal tract: manifested as abnormal gastrointestinal motility, low gastric tension, malabsorption, pseudo-intestinal obstruction and bleeding.

6. Skin: There are papules, nodules, purpura and so on.

7. Skeletal muscle: pseudo skeletal muscle hypertrophy.

Amyloidosis

First, routine inspection

1, joint examination to find the performance of arthritis or tendinitis.

2, fecal occult blood test or endoscopy (a can bend the tube, with a light source and a miniature camera on the top, can enter the colon through the rectum or through the mouth into the stomach) to find gastrointestinal bleeding.

3. Cardiac examination to see if heart failure or heart enlargement has occurred.

4, muscle strength test to find muscle strength decline.

5. Check the hands, feet, arms, and legs to find edema.

6. Check the mental condition to find out if there is dementia.

Second, biopsy

By examining a small piece of diseased tissue for examination, pathological examination of rectal or abnormal fat can often detect systemic amyloidosis involving the whole body. If the lesion is confined to an organ, such as the brain, the biopsy should be from the diseased tissue. Because of the material, many amyloidosis is difficult to diagnose. For example, Alzheimer's disease rarely performs brain biopsy. Biopsy can damage brain tissue and even if it can be confirmed that the diagnosis is not helpful for treatment, if the amyloid is diagnosed. In the case of illness, further hematuria examination is needed to find a disease that causes protein deposition.

Diagnosis and differentiation of amyloidosis

According to the clinical characteristics of organ involvement, it is not possible to explain the disease with a known cause. The basis for the diagnosis of this disease is biopsy. Congo red staining can confirm the diagnosis.

The main identification is primary or secondary. If there are no other potential diseases, the main symptoms are caused by amyloidosis, which is called primary amyloidosis. If it is other diseases, it is common to be chronic. Inflammation, such as tuberculosis caused by tuberculosis or rheumatic diseases, is called secondary amyloidosis.

The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments.