STUDY OF NEUROMYOPATHY IN AMYLOID KIDNEY-TRANSPLANT PATIENTS

Neuromuscular status of amyloid and control groups of kidney transplan t recipients was assessed through complete neurological examination, a ssay for serum levels of muscle enzymes (CPK and LDH), electromyograph y and nerve conduction velocity studies. Neuromyopathic findings were detected in both groups but without severe disabling clinical manifest ations. These findings were more prominent in the amyloid group, evide nced by a more significant increase in polyphasicity detected by elect romyography and longer prolongation of terminal latency measured in th e median nerve. From this study, we concluded that amyloid kidney tran splant recipients are more prone to neuromyopathy than the general kid ney transplant population, which is mostly due to the amyloidosis itse lf and/or the colchicine therapy.