source: Amyloidosis.org.uk (National Amyloidosis Centre)

year: N/A

Fluid overload is the most common serious toxicity experienced by patients with AL amyloidosis. Many patients with AL amyloidosis have amyloid deposits in the kidneys and/or in the heart. These two problems mean that the body is unable to cope well with excess fluids. The combination of kidneys that are unable to sufficiently clear the fluid into the urine and a heart that is too stiff to pump efficiently may be problematic. Even if just one of these organs is affected by amyloidosis, excess fluids can make matters worse. Patients with fluid overload may develop swelling in the legs (oedema) and/or difficulty in breathing due to heart failure.

The ALchemy (AL amyloidosis chemotherapy) study is a large, on-going, “real world” study of chemotherapy in AL amyloidosis, started at the NAC in 2009 and funded by a grant from the charity Myeloma UK.  In this study, fluid overload has been clearly identified as the most important serious side effect experienced by patients with AL amyloidosis.

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