What does amyloidosis mean?
Amyloidosis is a rare but serious disease in which an abnormal protein known as amyloid accumulates in the body's organs and tissues. These misfolded proteins form insoluble fibrils that build up over time, gradually disrupting the normal structure and function of affected organs — most commonly the heart, kidneys, liver, nerves, and digestive tract. The condition exists in several forms: AL amyloidosis arises from abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow, AA amyloidosis develops as a consequence of chronic inflammatory diseases, and hereditary variants are passed down through genetic mutations. Symptoms vary widely depending on which organs are involved, often including fatigue, swelling, shortness of breath, or numbness, which can make diagnosis challenging. Because there is no single cure, treatment typically focuses on slowing or halting further amyloid production. Though uncommon, amyloidosis has gained greater recognition in recent years as awareness of its cardiac forms has grown among physicians.
nounA rare disease in which an abnormal protein called amyloid builds up in organs and tissues, impairing their function. It may occur on its own or as a complication of other chronic inflammatory or blood disorders.
- A group of rare diseases characterized by abnormal deposition of amyloid fibrils in organs and tissues, impairing their normal function; it can be systemic (affecting multiple organs) or localized.
"After months of unexplained fatigue and swelling, the doctors finally diagnosed him with amyloidosis affecting the kidneys."
"Her cardiologist suspected cardiac amyloidosis after noticing unusual thickening of the heart walls."
"Treatment for AL amyloidosis often involves chemotherapy regimens similar to those used for multiple myeloma."
The standard plural follows the Greek-derived '-osis' → '-oses' pattern common in medical terminology. In practice, 'amyloidosis' is frequently treated as an uncountable mass noun referring to the disease in general; the plural appears mainly in academic writing when discussing different subtypes as separate entities.
"The symposium covered recent advances in diagnosing and treating the various amyloidoses."
The name 'amyloid' literally means 'starch-like' — early scientists thought these strange tissue deposits resembled plant starch under the microscope, until they discovered they were actually misfolded proteins.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of amyloidosis
The term 'amyloidosis' derives from 'amyloid,' a word coined in the nineteenth century from Latin 'amylum' meaning starch, itself borrowed from Greek 'amylon.' Early pathologists observed that certain waxy deposits in tissue stained blue with iodine in a manner reminiscent of starch, leading them to name the substance 'amyloid' or starch-like — even though it was later shown to be proteinaceous rather than carbohydrate in nature. The suffix '-osis' comes from Greek and denotes an abnormal or diseased condition. Cognate terms sharing this root include amylase, the enzyme that breaks down starch, and amylose, a component of starch itself.
Related word forms
How amyloidosis is actually used
Amyloidosis is a formal medical term used primarily in clinical and scientific contexts. It encompasses several subtypes (such as AL, AA, and hereditary forms) named after the precursor protein involved. The word is rarely used in casual conversation outside of medical settings.
Easily confused with amyloidosis
Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease involving damage to the myelin sheath of nerve fibers, whereas amyloidosis involves deposits of misfolded amyloid protein in organs and tissues.
Sclerosis refers to abnormal hardening of body tissue, while amyloidosis specifically involves the accumulation of amyloid protein deposits.