title: Polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein and skin change (POEMS) syndrome with IgG kappa paraproteinemia.
abstract: The POEMS syndrome is an infrequently reported multisystem disorder which presents usually as an obscure polyneuropathy, with almost all cases reported in Japan. A 64 yr old caucasian man presented with a 12 mth history of a severe sensorimotor neuropathy in association with dermato-endocrine features. Detection of a monoclonal IgG kappa paraprotein and mixed osteosclerotic/lytic bone lesions consistent with a plasma cell dyscrasia led to diagnosis of the POEMS syndrome. Unique ultrastructural features were present on sural nerve biopsy in addition to the unusual association with monoclonal kappa-light chain. This case illustrates that the POEMS syndrome may also occur in caucasian subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Romas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Storey
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ayers
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Byrne
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016878:POEMS Syndrome / Q000208:ethnology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains