Clinicopathological study of renal amyloidosis

Abstract

Study included 13 cases of renal amyloidosis. Oedema, feet and face was the commonest manifestation (100%), two patients (18.18%) also presented with loose motions, ascites and pain in abdomen and one patient had ankylosing spondylitis and cervical spondylitis. On clinical grounds only one case was diagnosed as primary amyloidosis of light chain type, who presented initially with cervical lymphadenopathy and 4 years later with nephrotic syndrome. About 72.72% cases had some chronic disease in the terms of tuberculosis, ankylosing spondylitis, chronic ulcerative colitis, lepromatous leprosy, rheumatoid arthritis and one patient had carcinoma caecum. Congo red stain was positive in both, light chain deposit disease (LCDD) and amyloidosis but polarizing microscope showed mixed birefringence (red, green, yellow) only in amyloidosis. In AFOG and PAS stain, amyloid appeared negative, only peripheral portion revealed blue and pink staining and central area appeared as cutout spaces. Congo red and methyl violet stains and potassium permanganate treatment was not helpful in distinguishing AL amyloidosis from secondary amyloidosis. Hence immunohistochemistry and myeloma profile is a must. It might be possible that in light chain amyloidosis, treatment with methotrexate and prednisolone may improve survival.