Amyloidosis Diagnosed in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Transplantation Medicine
• Hematology

Background:

• Amyloidosis development after solid-organ transplantation is not previously documented.
• Plasma cell neoplasms, a rare posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder, can complicate with light chain amyloidosis (AL).

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of amyloidosis in patients following solid-organ transplantation.
• To investigate the types of amyloidosis and their impact on graft and patient survival.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective search of 5112 patients diagnosed with amyloidosis between 1994 and 2018.
• Exclusion of patients with amyloidosis diagnosis preceding transplant.
• Data collection included transplant type, amyloidosis type, affected organs, treatment, and survival.

Main Results:

• Thirty patients developed amyloidosis post-transplant, with a median age of 52 years.
• Kidney transplants were most common (83.3%). Systemic AL amyloidosis was the most frequent type (47%).
• Median survival from diagnosis was 45 months, with localized AL having the longest survival (64 months) and AA the shortest (15 months).

Conclusions:

• This series represents the first description of post-transplant amyloidosis.
• Amyloidosis is a potential complication after solid-organ transplantation, occurring in approximately 0.6% of patients.
• The overall survival following post-transplant amyloidosis diagnosis is poor.