Tracheobronchial amyloidosis.

The authors have described eleven cases of tracheobronchial amyloidosis, in 6 men and 5 women with a mean age of 58.7 years. The follow-up period ranged from several month to six years. The clinical picture and histopathological changes in bronchoscopic and postmortem sections in two patients were described. In all cases immunohistochemical examinations for the presence of amyloid AA, AL, transthyretin (prealbumin) and beta 2-microglobulin were performed. In six cases the presence of transthyretin was found. The remaining reactions were negative. Resorptive giant cells reaction to amyloid was observed in 3 transthyretin positive cases and 1 transthyretin negative case. Four cases with negative amyloid in the examination for the presence of transthyretin accompanied bronchial carcinoma, all these cases were men with a mean age of 63.0 years.