Amyloidosis

Amyloidosis is a rare disease. It happens when pieces of protein build up in your body. It usually appears in organs such as your heart, kidneys, liver, or muscles. Over time, it can damage major organs and make it hard for them to work properly.

There are many forms of amyloidosis. Some affect just one organ. Others impact your whole body. Amyloidosis is caused by cancers, long-term inflammation, and normal aging. It can also be hereditary, meaning that it runs in families.

Symptoms of amyloidosis include:

• Bleeding or purple marks around the eyes
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Difficulty swallowing
• Irregular heartbeat or shortness of breath
• Leg swelling
• Low blood pressure, severe fatigue, and weakness
• Kidney failure
• Numbness, tingling, or pain in the hands or feet
• Protein in the urine
• Unplanned significant weight loss

Types of Amyloidosis

There are many types of amyloidosis. The most common are:

• AL amyloidosis: This affects the heart, kidneys, skin, nervous system, and liver. People with this type often also have a kind of cancer called multiple myeloma.
• AA amyloidosis: This usually attacks the kidneys. It can also affect the liver, heart, and digestive tract. It is often linked to long-term infections or inflammatory diseases. It can also run in the family.
• Hereditary amyloidosis: These types pass down in families. They affect the liver, nervous system, heart, kidneys, and other organs. 
• Transthyretin amyloidosis: These affect the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. One form often causes heart disease among African Americans.

Diagnosis and Treatment

It can be hard to diagnose amyloidosis because its symptoms look like many other conditions. To see if you have this disease, we start with a physical exam. Then we do blood and urine tests. The only way to be sure is to take a small tissue sample (biopsy) and look at it under a microscope.

We use a team of doctors to diagnose and treat this condition. Team members work together to offer well-rounded care. Our team includes experts in:

• Joints, muscles, and bones (rheumatologists)
• Heart (cardiologists)
• Skin (dermatologists)
• Ear, nose, and throat (ENTs or otolaryngologists)
• Digestive system (gastroenterologists)
• Blood (hematologists)
• Cancer (oncologists)
• Kidney (nephrologists)
• Brain, spinal cord, and nerves (neurologists)
• Tissue, cells, and body fluids (pathologists)

Why Mount Sinai

Mount Sinai offers:

• A team of experts: We work together to diagnose and treat you.
• Advanced imaging: We use the latest approaches.
• Clinical trials: We do research in this area. Our patients benefit from what we learn.

We are here for you, from diagnosis through long-term follow-up.