Dialysis-Related Amyloidosis

Dialysis-related amyloidosis (DRA) is a disabling disease characterized by accumulation and tissue deposition of amyloid fibrils consisting of the protein β2-microglobulin (β2m) in the bone and other tissues of patients with chronic kidney disease. The disease affects 20% of patients after 2 to 4 years of dialysis and nearly 100% after 13 to 15 years. In recent years, however, DRA prevalence has decreased with the use of high-flux biocompatible dialysis membranes, which provide improved clearance of β2m and are less likely to induce reactive inflammation. Nonetheless, hundreds of thousands of people still suffer from this debilitating disease every year.