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• Diagnosis and Tests

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• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

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Summary

Amyloidosis occurs when abnormal proteins called amyloids build up and form deposits. The deposits can collect in organs such as the kidney and heart. This can cause the organs to become stiff and unable to work the way they should.

There are three main types of amyloidosis:

• Primary - with no known cause
• Secondary - caused by another disease, including some types of cancer
• Familial - passed down through genes

Symptoms can vary, depending upon which organs are affected. Treatment depends on the type of amyloidosis you have. The goal is to help with symptoms and limit the production of proteins. If another disease is the cause, it needs to be treated.

Start Here

• Amyloidosis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Amyloidosis and Kidney Disease (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Diagnosis and Tests

• Bone Marrow Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Free Light Chains (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• AL Amyloidosis and Agent Orange (Department of Veterans Affairs)
• General Information about Plasma Cell Neoplasms (Including Multiple Myeloma) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Cardiac Amyloidosis (American Heart Association)

Genetics

• Hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Lattice corneal dystrophy type II: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Transthyretin amyloidosis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Amyloidosis (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: A comprehensive evaluation of cardiac amyloidosis epidemiology and diagnostics in French...
• Article: Bridging Pancreatic Amyloidosis and Neurodegeneration: The Emerging Role of Amylin in...
• Article: Epidemiology and clinical presentation of kidney amyloidosis have changed over the...
• Amyloidosis -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Amyloidosis Foundation
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Patient Handouts

• Cardiac amyloidosis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Hereditary amyloidosis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Primary amyloidosis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Secondary systemic amyloidosis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish