Amyloidosis

Amyloidosis is a group of diseases in which abnormal proteins, called amyloid proteins, accumulate in organs or organ systems such as the heart, kidneys, nervous system or gastrointestinal tract. These abnormal proteins come from cells in bone marrow that make antibodies, which are proteins that protect from infection and disease. When a person has amyloidosis, the bone marrow produces faulty antibodies that build up in the bloodstream and tissues.

Amyloidosis is rare and the cause of the disease is unknown. You may be at increased risk if you have a chronic infectious or inflammatory disease, a family history of the disease or multiple myeloma, a form of bone marrow cancer. If you undergo kidney dialysis, particularly for more than five years, you also may be at increased risk for amyloidosis if your failing kidneys are unable to remove excess proteins from the blood, allowing abnormal proteins to build up and deposit in surrounding tissues.

At UCSF Medical Center, specialists in blood disorders provide consultation, diagnosis and management of amyloidosis.

To make an appointment, please call:
Hematology (415) 353-2421

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated August 29, 2007