Warning Signs Of Amyloidosis

Thickened Or Easily Bruised Skin

Amyloidosis patients may experience thickened or easily bruised skin as a manifestation of their disorder. Thickened skin is the result of several types of skin lesions characteristic of amyloidosis. These lesions are shiny, waxy, and smooth-textured, and they may be characterized as nodules, plaques, or papules. Common places where these thickened areas of skin occur are the area below the ears, groin region, eyelids, and neck. These plaques often combine with each other to formulate larger, swollen or puffy lesions. These skin manifestations occur due to the deposits of amyloid in the subcutis or reticular dermis. Other regions of amyloidosis patients' skin may present with easy bruising as a symptom of the disorder. Easy bruising is the result of amyloid deposits that formulate in the walls of the blood vessels that causes the vessels to become weakened and leak blood at times without any obvious injury. With the infiltration of amyloids, the blood vessels have a diminished ability to handle challenges involving hydrostatic pressure. This malfunction causes the blood vessels to burst open or form a bruise upon impact easier than they would otherwise.

Purpura Around The Eyes

Individuals affected by amyloidosis may present with purpura around the eyes as a manifestation of their disease. Purpura is the medical term used to describe red and purple colored spots that occur on a patient's skin and mucous membranes. Purpura form when tiny blood vessels burst and the blood accumulates under the individual's skin. Between fifteen and twenty percent of amyloidosis patients experience this symptom spontaneously or following minor trauma. Purpura happens due to the weakening of blood vessel walls from amyloid deposits. These deposits cause the competency of the blood vessels to handle challenges involving hydrostatic pressure to become impaired. The bleeding manifestations in affected individuals may also be related to the higher prevalence of abnormal platelet aggregation, dysfibrinogenemia, and blood clotting factor deficiencies of factors X, IX, V, VII, and II. The eyes and other facial regions are the most common regions for amyloidosis purpura to occur due to the elevated concentration of blood vessels and capillaries that supply blood to the area. These purpuric lesions also commonly occur in flexural areas of the eyelids, periorbital region, neck, axillae, and nasolabial folds.