Endoscopic appearance of amyloidosis with gastrointestinal tract involvement after biopsy

An Unsusual Case of Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding

BACKGROUND

Amyloidosis is a multisystem disease, and can present with multitude of nonspecific symptoms. Gastrointestinal amyloidosis is common, and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in these patients has a wide differential diagnosis. The present case features the distinctive endoscopic finding of submucosal hematoma as a clue to immunoglobin light chain (AL) amyloid involvement of the gastrointestinal tract.

CASE REPORT

An 81-year-old woman with AL amyloidosis was transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) for evaluation of GI bleeding. Prior to the bleeding episode, the patient had undergone paracentesis for management of her ascites related to restrictive cardiomyopathy. Initial evaluation was negative for any intra-abdominal catastrophe related to her recent paracentesis. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was negative for any source of bleeding. However, colonoscopy showed a ruptured submucosal hematoma, which is a rare but classical finding in patients with amyloidosis. The patient was managed conservatively and did not have any further episodes of bleeding in the hospital. She unfortunately died due to her primary illness 6 weeks after discharge from the hospital.

CONCLUSIONS

The finding of submucosal hematoma on endoscopy is a rare but sentinel sign for amyloidosis involvement in the GI tract.

Amyloid and the GI tract

Amyloidosis is characterized by the extracellular deposition of an abnormal fibrillar protein, which disrupts tissue structure and function. Amyloid may be localized to a single organ, such as the GI tract, or be systemic where the amyloid type is defined by the respective fibril precursor protein. Among patients with systemic amyloidosis, histological involvement of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is very common but often subclinical. The presence and pattern of GI symptoms varies substantially, not only between the different amyloid types but also within them. GI presentations are frequently nonspecific and include macroglossia, dyspepsia, hemorrhage, a change in bowel habit and malabsorption. Endoscopic and radiological features of amyloidosis are also nonspecific, with the small intestine most commonly affected. In the absence of specific treatments for GI amyloidosis, therapy is aimed at reducing or eliminating the supply of the respective fibril precursor protein. Supportive measures such as nutritional support and antidiarrheal agents should be instigated while awaiting the clinical improvement associated with a successful reduction in the abundance of the fibril precursor protein. GI tract surgery should be performed only if the benefits clearly outweigh the risks, as there is a risk of decompensation of organs affected by amyloid.