[Value of biopsy of accessory salivary glands for the diagnosis of amyloidosis]

Rev Med Interne. 1990 Jul-Aug;11(4):329-32. doi: 10.1016/s0248-8663(05)80869-0.
[Article in French]

Abstract

There are few reports of amyloidosis diagnosed by deliberate biopsy of accessory salivary glands. Usually, a biopsy performed for dry mouth syndrome reveals an unsuspected amyloidosis. We report the case of 2 patients with lambda-type light chain monoclonal gammapathy complicated by generalized amyloidosis and in whom biopsy of the accessory salivary glands showed signs of amyloidosis. In the first patient accessory salivary gland biopsy was performed because these glands were enlarged, and the monoclonal dysglobulinaemia was subsequently diagnosed by serum immunoelectrophoresis. In the second patient with nephrotic syndrome, renal biopsy could not be carried out owing to the presence of a renal malformation; amyloidosis was confirmed by periumbilical fat aspiration, and a systematic biopsy of accessory salivary glands also showed evidence of amyloidosis. Biopsy of accessory salivary glands seems to be a particularly simple and safe method to detect generalized amyloidosis in patients with chronic inflammatory disease or monoclonal dysglobulinaemia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Amyloidosis / diagnosis
  • Amyloidosis / pathology*
  • Biopsy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Salivary Glands / pathology*