Amyloid myopathy presenting with distal atrophic weakness.

Amyloid myopathy is a rare complication of primary amyloidosis usually presenting with proximal muscle weakness. We report a woman with multiple myeloma in whom marked atrophy and weakness of finger flexor muscles were the first manifestations of systemic amyloidosis. Muscle biopsy revealed amyloid angiopathy with deposits of lambda light chains in vessel walls. The recognition of amyloid myopathy is important because clinical symptoms may respond to chemotherapy.