Secondary systemic amyloid

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Amyloidosis on the face

Amyloidosis on the fingers

Antibodies

Secondary systemic amyloid is a disorder in which insoluble protein fibers become deposited in tissues and organs impairing their function. It is found in association with chronic infection or chronic inflammatory disease.

The exact mechanism that causes secondary systemic amyloid is unknown. The risk factors include chronic inflammatory or infectious diseases. Secondary systemic amyloid occurs in association with multiple myeloma, and chronic conditions (those that last for 5 or more years) such as: rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis, long term paraplegia, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, chronic osteomyelitis, recurrent pyogenic (involving pus) skin infection or abscess, decubitus ulcers, chronic renal dialysis, juvenile chronic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Reiter's syndrome, ankylosing spondylitis, Hodgkin's disease, Sjogren's syndrome, and hairy cell leukemia.

Symptoms are the same as in primary amyloidosis. The symptoms are related to the organs that become affected with the deposits. The affected organs exhibit reduced function.

Review Date: 01/26/2005
Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, MD., Department of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.