Digestive Amyloidosis Trends: Clinical, Pathological, and Imaging Characteristics

Abstract

Amyloidosis is a group of diseases characterized by the extracellular deposition of abnormally folded, insoluble proteins that lead to organ dysfunction. While it commonly affects the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal (GI) tract involvement is undetermined. Recent research has focused on understanding the pathophysiology, diagnostic challenges, and therapeutic approaches to GI amyloidosis, particularly in systemic amyloid light-chain (AL) and amyloid A (AA) forms. GI manifestations can include motility disorders, bleeding, and, in severe cases, bowel obstruction. This review highlights the importance of the early recognition of digestive symptoms and associated imagistic findings in GI amyloidosis by analyzing the research that included clinical, pathological, and endoscopic approaches to amyloidosis. A systematic search of the PubMed and Scopus databases identified 19 relevant studies. Our findings showed that amyloid deposits commonly affect the entire GI tract, with AL amyloidosis being the most predominant form. Endoscopic evaluations and biopsy remain key diagnostic tools, with Congo Red staining and mass spectrometry being used to confirm amyloid type. Although progress has been made in diagnosis, the absence of targeted therapies and the indistinct nature of GI symptoms continue to be challenging.

Keywords: amyloid deposits; amyloid light chains; digestive amyloidosis; digestive motility; gastrointestinal amyloidosis.

Figure 1

A flow diagram for this study: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).

Figure 2

VOSviewer network visualization map of keywords from PubMed documents.

Figure 3

VOSviewer network visualization map of terms from the titles from Scopus documents.

Figure 4

VOSviewer network visualization map of co-authorship from PubMed documents.

Figure 5

Digestive amyloidosis.