Heart failure and hypertension revealing amyloidosis

Amyloidosis results from protein infiltration of the extracellular space of organs and tissues. Several amyloidosis proteins have been identified. Protein AL, (deriving from immunoglobulin light chain), protein AA and prealbumin are the most involved in this disease. When AL amyloidosis involves the heart, the illness is often terminal. Most clinical symptoms are heart failure and arrhythmia or block conduction. This case was characterised by the unusual combination of hypertension and amyloidosis. The diagnosis suggested by the echocardiographic but was confirmed by the damaged organ's biopsy. The present case concerns a young woman, who has hypertension and a pulmonary oedema. The echocardio graphic scan showed a septal hypertrophy with a shining and granite-like aspect which is compatible with heart amyloidosis. Systolic and diastolic disorder with mitral and aortic regurgitation were also revealed. The kidney and rectum biopsies confirmed amyloidosis AL of the Kappa dysglobulinemia type, without extraosseous plasmocytoma. The heart and kidney failure symptoms disappeared after treatment with diuretics and ACE inhibitors.