title: Primary systemic amyloidosis presenting with advanced heart failure.
abstract: Primary systemic amyloidosis (AL) is a rare, sporadic disease caused by deposition of immunoglobulin light chains in various tissues; symptoms vary based on which organs are infiltrated by the amyloid fibrils. Cardiac involvement occurs in up to 50% of patients with primary amyloidosis and is associated with a very poor prognosis. We report a case of a 57-year-old black man who presented with symptoms consistent with congestive heart failure. He was later found to have primary systemic amyloidosis, confirmed by abdominal fat pad biopsy.
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Research Unit, Donald W. Reynolds Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Sameer K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cogan
authors.forename: Sharon C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Reimold
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: De Lemos
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D044383:Black People; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged