Pancreatic islet amyloid in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a clinical and historical review.
In 1901 Eugene L. Opie, MD, a Dean of Washington University School of Medicine (Figure 1) described the histologic presence of amyloid within the pancreatic islets of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although amyloid is present in at least 70 percent of type 2 diabetic patients, the subject has not been clinically emphasized. This paper reviews the history of Opie's discovery and current clinical implications of islet amyloid.
Hayden
M R
MR
Camdenton Community Health Center, Department of Cardiovascular Atherosclerosis, Metabolism and Aging, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, USA. mrh29@usmo.com
D000682:Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000266:history / Q000378:metabolism*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000378:metabolism*
D000682:Amyloid