Amyloidosis is any of a group of disparate conditions characterized by extracellular deposition of insoluble fibrils composed of misaggregated proteins. These proteins may accumulate locally, causing relatively few symptoms, or widely, involving multiple organs and causing severe multiorgan failure. Amyloidosis can occur de novo or be secondary to various infectious, inflammatory, or malignant conditions. Diagnosis is by biopsy of affected tissue; the amyloidogenic protein is typed using a variety of immunohistologic and biochemical techniques. Treatment varies with the type of amyloidosis.
See Amyloidosis in The Manuals for more details.
References:
Falk, R.H., 2011. Cardiac amyloidosis a treatable disease, often overlooked. Circulation, 124(9), pp.1079-1085.
Quarta, C.C., Kruger, J.L. and Falk, R.H., 2012. Cardiac amyloidosis. Circulation, 126(12), pp.e178-e182.