By Disease Name > Amyloid

Amyloid

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"amyloid" = “starch” like
all β-pleated sheets

 

 

AL vs. AA vs. keratin amyloid:

OR (Primary Systemic vs. Secondary Systemic vs. Cutaneous Amyloid):

 

AL:

altered λ light chain
Bence-Jones protein in urine
intradermal deposition
renal, restrictive myopathy, macroglossia, pinch purpura (because fragile capillaries)
if no gammopathy, then “primary systemic amyloidosis”

 

 

“SECONDARY SYSTEMIC AMYLOIDOSIS”:

AA = a reactive protein derived from serum amyloid-A ( an alpha-globulin in normal serum)
chronic inflammatory or infectious diseases ex. RA, FMF, osteomyelitis, bronchiectasis, lepromatous leprosy
skin lesions rare
predilection sites of AA deposition = parenchymatous organs (kidney, liver, spleen)
(-) congo red after treatment with potassium permanganate (vs. AL or keratin amyloid)

Muckle-Wells syndrome:

autosomal dominant
fever, urticaria, renal amyloid (AA), nerve deafness

Familial meditarranean fever:

autosomal recessive
AA amyloid;  erysipelas-like lesions on legs
treatement: colchicine

 

 

 

IDIOPATHIC KERATIN AMYLOIDOSIS:

(seems to be caused by scratching the skin)

 

LICHEN AMYLOID

intensely pruritic
extensor surfaces of extremities (shins)
amyloid derived from epidermis (essentially a variant of LSC)
deposits high in papillary dermis
ddx:  LSC,  woody lymphedema, pretibial myxedema
treatment pearl - cover with duoderm (x months)

 

see Amyloid

 

 

macular amyloid

classically wavy hyperpigmentation on an itchy back (can be seen unilaterally in patients with notalgia paresthetica)

 

Stains:

congo red                à green birefringence in polarized light
crystal violet        à red metachromasia
thioflavin t                à yellow-green fluorescence under fluorescent microscope