A CASE OF SECONDARY GASTROINTESTINAL AMYLOIDOSIS SUCCESSFULLY TREATED WITH ANTI-INTERLEUKIN-6 RECEPTOR ANTIBODY TOCILIZUMAB

Abstract

A 63-year-old female, who at the time was being treated with salazosulfapyridine for rheumatoid arthritis, visited our hospital complaining of a loss of appetite and watery stools. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and colonoscopy showed granular mucosa present in the duodenum and which was also evident from the sigmoid colon to the rectum. She was diagnosed with secondary gastrointestinal amyloidosis associated with rheumatoid arthritis by the analysis of biopsy specimens from the duodenum. Although total parenteral nutrition was not effective, anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody (tocilizumab) dramatically improved clinical symptoms, as well as endoscopic and pathological findings. These results suggest anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody is an effective treatment for gastrointestinal amyloidosis.