Amyloidosis - Alternative Classifications

Alternative Classifications

An older, clinical, method of classification refers to amyloidoses as systemic or localised

• Systemic amyloidoses affect more than one body organ or system. Examples are: AL, AA and Aβ2m.

• Localised amyloidoses affect only one body organ or tissue type. Examples are: Aβ, IAPP, Atrial natriuretic factor (in isolated atrial amyloidosis) and Calcitonin (in medullary carcinoma of the thyroid)

Another classification is primary or secondary.

• Primary amyloidoses arise from a disease with disordered immune cell function such as multiple myeloma and other immunocyte dyscrasias.

• Secondary (reactive) amyloidoses are those occurring as a complication of some other chronic inflammatory or tissue destructive disease. Examples are reactive systemic amyloidosis and secondary cutaneous amyloidosis.