Common Causes, Risk Factors, And Complications Of Amyloidosis

Multiple Myeloma

An individual affected by multiple myeloma may develop amyloidosis as a complication of their disease. Multiple myeloma patients develop abnormal cells in their bone marrow that cause the production of too many white blood cells referred to as B lymphocytes. These excess B lymphocytes interfere with the normal function of bone marrow, blood, and other organs due to their accumulation in tissues around the body. The exact mechanism of how multiple myeloma causes amyloidosis is not known, but is thought to be associated with the deposition of amyloidogenic light chains in the bone marrow and other body tissues. These amyloid deposits are commonly found in an affected individual's bone marrow, subcutaneous fat pads, liver, kidneys, and heart. Between ten and fifteen percent of all patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma will develop some degree of amyloidosis during their disease.

Kidney Damage

An individual with kidney damage being treated with long-term dialysis is at a higher risk of developing amyloidosis than someone who is not affected by kidney damage. The kidneys are responsible for the function of filtering toxins, wastes, and fluids from the blood so they can exit the body through the urine. Each healthy kidney filters between 120 and 150 quarts of blood every day. Primary amyloidosis of the kidneys develops when amyloid deposits cause damage to the small filters in the kidney tissues. Dialysis-related amyloidosis develops when beta-2 macroglobulin or a certain type of protein accumulates in the blood because the dialysis machine does not have the capacity to filter and remove it the same way healthy kidneys can. Hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis can both increase a patient's risk of developing dialysis-related amyloidosis. This discrepancy in the functionality of dialysis and the human kidney can cause a patient to develop hyperlipidemia, albuminuria, edema, and hypoalbuminemia in addition to amyloidosis.