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Secondary systemic amyloidosis

Definition:

Secondary systemic amyloidosis is a disorder in which abnormal proteins build up in tissues and organs. Clumps of the abnormal proteins are called amyloids.

Secondary means it occurs because of another disease or situation. For example, this condition occurs along with chronic infection or chronic inflammatory disease.

Systemic means body-wide. For example, a systemic disease affects the entire body.

Alternative Names:

Amyloidosis - secondary systemic

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The exact cause is of amyloidosis unknown. You are more likely to develop secondary systemic amyloidosis is you have a long-term infection or inflammation.

This condition may occur along with:

Ankylosing spondylitis
Bronchiectasis
Chronic osteomyelitis
Cystic fibrosis
Hairy cell leukemia
Hodgkin's disease
Long-term skin abscess and certain ulcers
Long-term kidney dialysis
Juvenile chronic arthritis
Multiple myeloma
Reiter syndrome
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sjogren syndrome
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Tuberculosis

References:

Goldman L, Ausiello D. Cecil Textbook of Medicine . 22nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2004.

Kumar V, Abbas AK, Fausto N. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease . 7th ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2005.

Amyloidosis on the fingers

Amyloidosis on the face

Antibodies

Review Date: 4/1/2007
Reviewed By: Mark Levin, MD, Hematologist and Oncologist, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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