
February 22, 2001
Other Illnesses
Question from Auckland, New Zealand:
Has there ever been a study to see if there is any association between diabetes and primary amyloidosis?
Answer:
There is an association between amyloidosis and type 2 diabetes which seems to be activated through a substance called IAPP or Islet Amyloid PolyPeptide, and there is an animal model in the cat. The mechanism is still not understood, but you might get more insight from an article, Pancreatic islet with mellitus. Implication for therapeutic strategy (Int J Pancreatol, 1995 Aug;18(1):7-14; Oosterwijk C, Hoppener JW, van Hulst KL, Lips CJ). Also, there is a review of the problem in the New England Journal of Medicine, August 2000, vol 343, page 411 which any hospital librarian could help you find. It seems though to be more a mechanical interference with beta cell function rather than an increase in insulin resistance due to an increase in IAPP.
DOB