What is Amyloidosis?

It is a condition in which the protein called amyloid is stored in the organs, hindering their physiology. In general, amyloid does not exist in the body naturally, but its formation is due to the conjunction of various proteins or as a result of the presence of other pathologies.

Like any disease, certain factors can contribute to its development:

Family members with amyloidosis.
It is more frequent in males.
Being over 60 years old.
Chronic infectious or inflammatory diseases.
Dialysis treatments.

There are different types of amyloidosis, including:

Primary: affects heart, liver, nervous system, and kidneys.
Secondary: occurs as a result of an inflammatory disease, altering the spleen, liver, and kidneys’ function.
Hereditary: it generally affects the heart, nerves, and kidneys.
Senile or wild systemic: attacks elderly men, damaging the heart.
Focused: usually appears in the throat, skin, lungs, and bladder.

Signs and symptoms Amyloidosis

There are usually no symptoms at the beginning of the disease, but as it progresses, the symptoms are:

Skin thickening.
Bruising.
Purple-colored spots surrounding the eyeballs.
Bloody diarrhea
Stiffness and tingling in the hands or feet.
Carpal tunnel syndrome.
Constipation.
Trouble breathing with any light exertion or physical activity.
Tiredness.
Weakness.
Arrhythmia.
Enlarged tongue
Decreased body weight.
Swollen legs and ankles.
Swallowing problems.

Risks and complications depend on the damaged organs, so it is important to see your doctor immediately if you have any of these symptoms so they can assess you since a timely and accurate diagnosis will help prevent further damage.

Diagnosis and treatment Amyloidosis

Once your doctor reviews your symptoms and medical history, he or she will perform a physical examination and order blood and urine tests to determine if any abnormal proteins indicate amyloidosis. You may also require a skin tissue biopsy and imaging studies such as an echocardiogram, MRI, and nuclear tests to learn about the damaged organs.

The indicated treatment will be established based on the affected organ and its severity, although the main objectives will be to reduce the generation and concentration of amyloid protein, as well as to reduce symptoms through:

Surgery.
Dialysis.
Medication.
Chemotherapy.
Targeted therapy
Transplantation of stem cells or of an affected organ.

At ABC Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Department, we offer health care services with the highest quality and safety, from the prevention, diagnosis, timely treatment, and monitoring of infectious, respiratory, endocrinological, dermatological, rheumatic, nephrological, gastrointestinal, and hematological pathologies of both chronic-degenerative diseases and acute conditions, through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary model.

Related centers and departments

Internal medicine
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

medlineplus.gov
mayoclinic.org
msdmanuals.com
cun.es
topodoctors
medigraphic.com
Soto AMV, Rodríguez-Martínez HA, Navarro RF, et al. Amiloidosis pulmonar y linfoma no Hodgkin de linfocitos pequeños. Rev Fac Med UNAM. 2000;43(2):61-66.
Lachira-Yparraguirre L, Al-kassab-Córdova A, Quispe-Silvestre E, et al. Amiloidosis cardiaca secundaria a macroglobulinemia de Waldenström. Rev Cubana Hematol Inmunol Hemoter. 2020;36(3):.
García-Olea A, Rekondo JG, Maeztu M, et al. Amiloidosis cardiaca por transtiretina con una presentación clínica atípica: miocardiopatía dilatada. Cardiovasc Metab Sci . 2021;32(2):101-104. doi:10.35366/99747.
Olea-Sánchez EG, Sánchez-Moreno EC, Hernández-Salcedo DR, et al. Síndrome nefrótico por amiloidosis AL asociado con gammapatía monoclonal de cadenas ligeras lambda. Med Int Mex. 2020;36(5):722-726.

How can we help you?

The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.

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Comparison of COVID-19 vaccines

Pfizer-
BioNTech

Pfizer-BioNTech

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 95% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

No Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 16 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysorbate.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, malaise, and swollen lymph nodes.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 14 days of having the complete scheme (after the administration of the 2nd dose), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

Moderna

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 94.5% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 28 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 18 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes in the arm in which you received the injection.

Janssen/
Johnson
& Johnson

Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 72.0% in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.
85% in the prevention of severe COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives./strong>

How many doses are needed?
Only one dose in needed.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 28 days of having the complete scheme (the last dose applied), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from 85% serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

AstraZeneca
and
Oxford
University

AstraZeneca and Oxford University

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 82% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 56 days apart (or up to 84 days apart, if necessary).

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, and fever, which were mild to moderate in intensity and disappeared within 48 hours of vaccination.

Sputnik V

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 92% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

What is Amyloidosis?

Signs and symptoms Amyloidosis

Diagnosis and treatment Amyloidosis

Related centers and departments

Fuentes:

Index

Specialist in Amyloidosis