This is a really good summary of Amyloidosis:
Definition
Amyloidosis is a progressive, incurable, metabolic disease characterized by abnormal deposits of protein in one or more organs or body systems.
Description
Amyloid proteins are manufactured by malfunctioning bone marrow. Amyloidosis, which occurs when accumulated amyloid deposits impair normal body function, can cause organ failure or death. It is a rare disease, occurring in about eight of every 1,000,000 people. It affects males and females equally and usually develops after the age of 40. At least 15 types of amyloidosis have been identified. Each one is associated with deposits of a different kind of protein.
Types of amyloidosis
The major forms of this disease are primary systemic, secondary, and familial or hereditary amyloidosis. There is also another form of amyloidosis associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Primary systemic amyloidosis usually develops between the ages of 50 and 60. With about 2,000 new cases diagnosed annually, primary systemic amyloidosis is the most common form of this disease in the United States. Also known as light-chain-related amyloidosis, it may also occur in association with multiple myeloma (bone marrow cancer).
Secondary amyloidosis is a result of chronic infection or inflammatory disease. It is often associated with:
familial Mediterranean fever (a bacterial infection characterized by chills, weakness, headache, and recurring fever)
granulomatous ileitis (inflammation of the small intestine)
Hodgkin’s disease (cancer of the lymphatic system)
leprosy
osteomyelitits (bacterial infection of bone and bone marrow)
rheumatoid arthritis
Familial or hereditary amyloidosis is the only inherited form of the disease. It occurs in members of most ethnic groups, and each family has a distinctive pattern of symptoms and organ involvement. Hereditary amyloidosis is though to be autosomal dominant, which means that only one copy of the defective gene is necessary to cause the disease. A child of a parent with familial amyloidosis has a 50-50 chance of developing the disease.
Amyloidosis can involve any organ or system in the body. The heart, kidneys, gastrointestinal system, and nervous system are affected most often. Other common sites of amyloid accumulation include the brain, joints, liver, spleen, pancreas, respiratory system, and skin.
Causes and symptoms
The cause of amyloidosis is unknown. Most patients have gastrointestinal abnormalities, but other symptoms vary
