[Asthma or laryngeal amyloidosis? A report of a case and literature review]

Rev Alerg Mex. 2006 Jan-Feb;53(1):30-3.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

The laryngeal amyloidosis is an uncommon disease accounting for 1% of all benign lesions of larynx. The commonest symptom is the dysphonia, sometimes accompanied by stridor, laryngeal globus sensation, dysphagia and, in rare occasions, cough, dyspnea and hemoptysis, specially when the tracheobronchial tree is also affected. This paper describes the case of a 30-year-old female patient, whose main symptoms were progressive dysphonia and dyspnea, admitted at allergy service to rule out asthma. The respiratory function tests showed obstruction in the medium and small caliber ways without reversibility with salbutamol. Biopsies of ventricular band, vocal cord and arytenoid stained with positive Congo red for amyloid tissue, established the laryngeal amyloidosis diagnosis. The complementary studies to rule out amyloid tissue in the remaining tracheobronchial tree were negative. Dyspnea had characteristics of laryngeal origin, caused by a pulmonary ventilation disorder provoked by the difficult arrival of air to alveoli, which caused the decreased partial pressure of oxygen and CO2.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Airway Obstruction / etiology
  • Amyloidosis / blood
  • Amyloidosis / complications
  • Amyloidosis / diagnosis*
  • Asthma / diagnosis*
  • Carbon Dioxide / blood
  • Deglutition Disorders / etiology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Dyspnea / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Laryngeal Diseases / blood
  • Laryngeal Diseases / complications
  • Laryngeal Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Occupational Diseases / diagnosis
  • Oxygen / blood
  • Partial Pressure
  • Teaching
  • Voice Disorders / etiology

Substances

  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Oxygen