Systemic amyloidosis in inflammatory bowel disease: retrospective study on its prevalence, clinical presentation, and outcome.

Background: Systemic amyloidosis is a rare but life-threatening complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), most cases being reported among Crohn's disease (CD) patients. The only two available retrospective studies showed a prevalence ranging from 0.9% to 3% among CD patients.

Aims: To evaluate the prevalence of secondary systemic amyloidosis in a large IBD cohort of a referral centre, and to describe its clinical characteristics and outcome.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with amyloidosis were identified among 1006 IBD patients included in the IBD database of our centre, and their medical records were carefully reviewed.

Results: Among a total of 1006 IBD patients, 5 cases of amyloidosis were identified, all of them with CD, resulting in a prevalence of 0.5% for IBD and 1% for CD. Two patients died after developing renal failure. Two patients were treated with anti-TNF agents, showing a clinical improvement of their amyloidosis.

Conclusions: Secondary amyloidosis occurs mainly in long-lasting, complicated, Crohn's disease and seems to be as prevalent among IBD patients as previously reported.