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Amyloidosis

Renal amyloidosis


What is amyloidosis of the kidneys?

Renal amyloidosis (amyloidosis nefroticski) is one of the most common forms of this disease. Most often it occurs when secondary AA-amyloidosis, which, in turn, is a complication of severe chronic diseases (tuberculosis, osteomyelitis, syphilis, etc.). Thus, kidney damage is only a consequence of the "core" diseases, which must also be diagnosed and intensively treated.

Amyloidosis occurs as a result of a significant increase in the blood protein amyloid, which is deposited in the kidneys, on the walls of blood vessels, tubules and other tissues.

Stage of renal amyloidosis

Renal amyloidosis has 4 stages: latent, proteinuric, nephrotic and uremic. From these stages depend on the changes of kidney damage, characteristics of the disease.

Latent stage of amyloidosis enough affects the appearance of the kidneys, but the walls of blood vessels and collecting ducts have delayed the amyloid protein. Membrane of the capillaries of the glomeruli thicken, lumens of the tubules become clogged with granules of protein.

The amount of amyloid in the kidneys is greatly increased in the nephrotic stage. Protein accumulates in the capillaries, arteries, and on membrane tubules. Kidneys are enlarged, harden and become waxy.

In uremic stage of renal amyloidosis calf atrophy and die. Kidneys are very compacted, covered with scars, slightly reduced relative to the norm. It is at this stage develop complications of amyloidosis: hypertrophy of the heart, infection (pneumonia, erysipelas, parotitis). This is explained by disorders of metabolism and lower overall immunity. Nephrogenic arterial hypertension, which is a consequence of amyloidosis that can cause heart attack, heart failure, hemorrhage.

Often renal amyloidosis has a poor prognosis: death may occur due to chronic or acute renal failure or concomitant infection.

Symptoms of amyloidosis kidney

In the latent stage of renal amyloidosis patients may not notice any changes in health status and not to file any complaints. Often the first symptoms of the disease become swelling, weakness, diarrhea, high blood pressure, kidney failure. In all forms of amyloidosis is also developing proteinuria (appearance of protein inthe urine).
When renal amyloidosis also affects the cardiovascular system and the gastrointestinal tract: impaired conduction and heart rate, develops heart failure; liver and spleen increased in size (with the obvious signs of change and deterioration in functioning may be missing).

The most reliable method of diagnosis of amyloidosis is now a biopsy of the kidney, colon, liver, skin.


Treatment of renal amyloidosis

Since the etiology and pathogenesis of renal amyloidosis is not sufficiently studied, modern medicine has not developed a specific treatment of this disease. The focus of amyloidosis is given to the treatment of the disease, which was his reason. Patients are recommended a strict diet, long-term intake of raw liver, chemotherapy. Sometimes used hemodialysis and transplantation of a donor kidney is the affected organ.

If amyloid deposits are local, not widespread in nature, and the clinical manifestations of the disease are mild, amyloidosis is not a threat to life. Otherwise, the prognosis of the disease depends on the severity of the background disease, intensity of treatment, the effectiveness of therapy aimed at suppression of amyloidosis.