ABSTRACT
We report the case of a 75-year-old woman who suffered chronic kidney disease with severe nephrotic syndrome (NS) and protein losing gastroenteropathy due to tocilizumab (TCZ), anti-IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody resistant amyloidosis. The patient was admitted for fever, dyspnea and anasarca. Chest x-ray and computed tomography showed massive pleural effusion. She had past history of rheumatic arthritis treated with methotrexate and TCZ before admission. Presenting symptoms almost consistently involved hypoalbuminemia due to severe NS and protein losing diarrhea, resulting hypovolemia and prerenal acute kidney injury. Due to infectious disease, we could not continue TCZ treatment.
Light microscopic findings of biopsy specimens from gastrointestinal tract revealed Congo red positive staining area, meaning gastrointestinal amyloidosis. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed with gastrointestinal and possible renal amyloidosis in chronic kidney disease, resulting protein losing gastroenteropathy and end-stage renal disease.
TCZ is widely used for treatment of secondary (AA) amyloidosis with rheumatic arthritis. However, TCZ resistant renal and gastrointestinal amyloidosis is not a common.
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