title: Relapsing polychondritis, smouldering non-secretory myeloma and early myelodysplastic syndrome in the same patient: three difficult diagnoses produce a life threatening illness.
abstract: Multiple myeloma, relapsing polychondritis and myelodysplastic syndrome are all serious diseases in which making a clear diagnosis can be difficult. This case of a 72-year-old man found after extensive investigation to have all three of the above, demonstrates how difficult diagnosis and treatment can be, producing in this case a life threatening clinical syndrome. We also postulate that the association of these three diseases may be an immune-derived complication of myelodysplastic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Haematology, Royal Bournemouth Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hopkinson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamblin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011081:Polychondritis, Relapsing / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology