Musculoskeletal Manifestations of Amyloidosis: A Focused Review

Amyloidosis is a poorly understood condition that can wreak havoc on numerous systems within the human body. In addition, this disease can present in multiple forms which each have their own unique physiology and subsequent effects. However, while the literature on the etiology and effect of amyloidosis on various organ systems is numerous, few have highlighted the musculoskeletal manifestations of this devastating disease. This review focuses on the recent research on amyloid deposition in the musculoskeletal system. Additionally, risk factors, classification, differential diagnoses, indications for biopsy, and manifestations of amyloidosis in the musculoskeletal system as well as in other tissues are discussed. Furthermore, the surgical and nonsurgical approaches to treatment are covered. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 27(1):1–5, 2018)
Key words: amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis, amyloidoma, beta 2-microglobulin (Aβ2M) amyloidosis, musculoskeletal manifestations, transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis, systemic amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis