[What has become of inflammatory amyloidosis?]

Abstract

Inflammation associated amyloidosis (AA amyloid) remains a severe complication of chronic inflammatory diseases, namely of rheumatoid arthritis and of juvenile arthritis. Infectious causes of AA amyloid have become uncommon. In the course of chronic inflammatory diseases, amyloid should be regularly screened by proteinuria. The proof of amyloidosis requires tissue analysis examplifying specific apple-green birefringence after staining with Congo red. When amyloidosis is progressive in the course of one chronic disease, powerful anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs can be used.