Primary systemic amyloidosis and persistent pleural effusions.

Persistent pleural effusions are not common in patients with primary systemic amyloidosis (AL). A recent review of this complication of the disease hypothesized that the pathophysiology of these effusions is pleural amyloid deposition, disrupting lymphatic drainage. We report the case of a 73-year-old woman with primary systemic AL and persistent bilateral pleural effusions, refractory to diuresis and repeated thoracenteses.