Amyloidosis occurs as the result of an abnormal deposition of a certain protein, known as amyloid, in the various tissues of the body. When the protein is deposited to a localized area, it may not necessarily be harmful or may only affect a single tissue of the body, this is known as amyloidosis. The condition exists in two forms - primary amyloidosis and secondary amyloidosis. Also known as AL, primary amyloidosis takes place when a certain specialized cell in the bone marrow suddenly overproduces a protein portion of the antibody 'light chain'. The condition is known to occur when the individual is affected by bone marrow cancer. This is not associated with any other disease, but is considered to be a disease on its own. The secondary version of the condition is said to occur when it takes place as a result of another illness.
Some common illnesses that cause the condition include chronic infections such as tuberculosis or even chronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and akylosing spondylitis. A few of the more common symptoms of the condition include kidney disorders, suffering from a stroke, an irregular heart beat or suffering from a heart disease as well as an enlarged liver or the diminished functionality of the spleen. The condition can also be influenced by hereditary where it is passed down from one generation to another within the same blood line. Some symptoms to look out for in this scenario include disorders of the nervous system, carpal tunnel syndrome or even kidney diseases.
Amyloidosis testing can be accomplished by a variety of methods such as genetic testing, blood tests or even urine tests. The blood test will require a sample of the patients blood to be drawn with the help of a syringe and the sample then sent to a lab for analysis before the report is sent back to the supervising doctor. In the very same way, providing your doctor with a sample of your urine will see it being sent to a lab for analysis. If the condition is restricted to a single organ, a biopsy of the layer of the skin, rectum, stomach or even bone marrow may be required. A biopsy is considered to be the only definitive method of diagnosing amyloidosis in a patient.
There are is no special preparation required when getting ready for an amyloidosis blood test, but you should check with your doctor and identify if any prescription or non prescription medication you are on will interfere with the test results.