title: Secondary amyloidosis: a severe complication of ankylosing spondylitis. Two case-reports.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report two cases of amyloidosis secondary to ankylosing spondylitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 47 ankylosing spondylitis patients who have received follow-up at our department over the last few years, two have developed AA amyloidosis. Both have extremely severe, long-standing joint disease, with virtually complete spinal ankylosis and destructive peripheral arthritis of the hips and wrists; one also has tarsal joint destruction. Renal dysfunction was the first manifestation of amyloidosis in both cases. One patient required chronic hemodialysis and developed peritonitis due to colonic perforation, probably at a site of amyloid deposition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Secondary amyloidosis is a rare complication of ankylosing spondylitis that can cause severe renal and gastrointestinal complications. No treatment capable of clearing established amyloid deposits is available to date.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, CHUV, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kovacsovics-Bankowski
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zufferey
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: So
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gerster
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000150:complications*