Crohn's ileitis complicated by amyloidosis: observations and therapeutic considerations.

We present a patient with clinically asymptomatic amyloidosis associated with Crohn's ileitis. A distinction should be made between immunocytic dyscrasia associated with amyloidosis (formerly primary or myeloma-associated amyloidosis) and acquired systemic amyloidosis (formerly secondary amyloidosis). We compare the natural course of amyloidosis complicating Crohn's disease with these complicating familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), and discuss the role of resection and the rationale behind colchicine therapy. Our patient is the first reported case in which colchicine therapy alone has been successful in the prophylactic treatment of amyloidosis complicating Crohn's ileitis.