Pleural AA amyloidosis preceding the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

Pleural amyloidosis constitutes a rare presentation of a rare disease. We report a case of amyloidotic pleural effusion that preceded the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease by six months. The patient had a paucisymptomatic gastrointestinal disease but an exuberant AA amyloidosis that progressed to involve multiple organs, including lung, kidney and heart. Despite immunomodulatory treatment with corticosteroids and infliximab with good gastrointestinal response, the patient eventually passed away 2 years after diagnosis.