GASTROENTEROLOGY ARTICLE OF THE WEEK
February 11, 2010
Sattianayagam PT, Hawkins PN, Gillmore JD. Systemic amyloidosis and the GI tract. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2009;6:608-617.
1. Common signs and symptoms of gastric amyloidosis include
a. Gastric perforation
b. Hematemesis
c. Gastroparesis
d. Peptic ulcers
True or False
2. Esophageal manometric findings in amyloidosis mimic those of achalasia
3. Liver biopsy in cases of hepatic amyloidosis is a safe and accurate way of establishing the diagnosis
4. Macroglossia is a diagnostic feature of AL amyloidosis
5. In systemic amyloidosis, small bowel biopsies were more accurate in establishing the diagnosis than rectal biopsies
6. The typical biochemical profile of a patient with hepatic amyloidosis is hepatocellular in nature
7. Steatorrhea is typically found in patients with AL amyloidosis
8. B2 microglobulin amyloidosis usually develops in patients on long-term hemodialysis and often involves the liver
9. Diarrhea is the most common GI manifestation of systemic amyloidosis
10. Classical histologic findings in amyloid include positive PAS stained globules after diastase digestion of colonic mucosa samples
11. Octreotide can help diarrhea in selected cases of amyloidosis