Diarrhea in gastrointestinal amyloidosis: A case report and review of the literature

Amyloidosis is characterized by the accumulation of an insoluble amyloid protein in the extracellular space of many different tissues. It is a multisystem disorder and clinical involvement of a single organ is rare. Diagnosis is established by histologic demonstration of amyloid protein in affected tissues. The gastrointestinal tract is frequently involved in amyloidosis. Common presenting symptoms include abdominal pain, weight loss, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and rarely obstruction. Although the gastrointestinal complications may result in significant morbidity, they are usually not the cause of death, which is most often due to renal failure, restrictive cardiomyopathy, or ischemic heart disease. We report a case of gastrointestinal amyloidosis in an elderly gentleman who presented with diarrhea and weight loss.