[Systemic amyloidosis. Case report].

Abstract

The amyloid deposition in skeletal muscle is well known but a rare occurrence. The study reflects the morphoclinical picture in cardiac amyloidosis in a 51 years old woman, having progressive cardiac failure and sinus node disease. A complete clinical evaluation of the patient showed a concomitant malignancy, plasma-cell myeloma. Muscle-cutaneous biopsy and a sulfated blue alcian staining was routinely performed to screen for amyloid. Histologically, amyloid was confirmed by the presence of deposits in the interstitium around perivascular region, or rarely, in the endomysial region. Focally, the muscles showed a small group atrophy and scattered regenerating muscle fibers and some degenerating myofibers. Generally, is known that prevalence rate of amyloid myopathy in muscle biopsy specimens is low (0.004%), and, as in our case, only a minority of patients have multiple myeloma, as well.