Key Information
A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease. Although risk factors often influence the development of a disease, most do not directly cause the disease itself. Some people with several risk factors never develop amyloidosis, while others with no known risk factors do. Most people who develop amyloidosis have no known risk factors. The cause is often not known. The following factors may raise a person's risk of developing amyloidosis:
Age
The risk of amyloidosis increases as a person gets older. For AL amyloidosis, the majority of people diagnosed are older than 40.
Gender
Amyloidosis is more common in men than in women.
Other diseases
Amyloidosis is sometimes linked with another disease. For instance, research shows that 12% to 15% of people with multiple myeloma also develop AL amyloidosis.
Family history
Hereditary amyloidosis can run in families. This may be due to a genetic change, called a mutation that is passed down from generation to generation.