Clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of hereditary fibrinogen Aα-chain renal amyloidosis: one case report and systematic review

Purpose We reported a confirmed case of Fibrinogen Aa-chain (AFib) amyloidosis and conducted systematic review of the genetic and protein mutation types, clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods and treatment for patients with this disease worldwide. Methods We reported a case of AFib amyloidosis. Meanwhile, a systematic search was performed using defined terms and updated up to November 2023 in the Wanfang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP, PubMed, and Web of Science databases to identify reported cases of AFib renal amyloidosis worldwide, according to PRISMA guidelines. Results A 46-year-old male patient was admitted for more than half a month because of oedematous lower limbs. Renal tissue mass spectrometry suggested an AFib type. Gene detection demonstrated that the patient carried the c.1673del (p.Lys558Argfs*10) locus heterozygous mutation of Fibrinogen A alpha-chain gene (FGA). The patient was treated with haemodialysis because of uncontrollable hypertension. This systematic review comprised 46 cases. We found the onset age to be lower in women than in men (P < 0.05). All patients showed incipient symptoms including proteinuria; 10 (21.7%) patients progressed to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or received renal replacement therapy (including dialysis and kidney transplantation) within 1 year; 18 (39.1%) patients progressed to ESRD or received renal replacement therapy within 1-5 years, and 4 (8.7%) patients did not progress to ESRD or received renal replacement therapy within 5 years. Conclusion AFib amyloidosis progresses rapidly. The diagnosis of this disease is primarily based on renal biopsy, mass spectrometry, and molecular gene detection. Reducing proteinuria is the main method of treating this disease. Prospero registration numberCRD42024516146.