Amyloid arthropathy in the course of multiple myeloma.
OBJECTIVE
Primary amyloidosis is classical in the course of multiple myeloma (MM), but peripheral amyloid arthropathy is unusual. We evaluated the frequency and effect of amyloid arthropathy in a single center series of patients with MM.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of cases of peripheral joint amyloidosis in a cohort of patients with MM.


RESULTS
Between 1978 and 1996, 11 patients (6 women, 5 men, mean age 59 yrs) were diagnosed with biopsy proven amyloid arthropathy in a cohort of 311 patients with MM. Arthritis was the first symptom of amyloidosis in all patients and occurred within the 6 months after MM diagnosis in most patients (7/11). Nine patients had light chain MM and X light chain was more common than kappa (6 vs 5). Shoulder hypertrophic arthropathy and rheumatoid arthritis-like polyarthritis were the 2 most common involved sites. In most cases, joint involvement was responsible for major limitations in activities of daily living. Amyloid deposits were clearly visible on magnetic resonance images (MRI), which also showed inflammatory synovitis in some cases. Control of MM was often associated with improvement of amyloid arthropathy, but additional rheumatological treatment--oral low dose prednisone or joint steroid injection--was often needed to achieve more complete relief. Amyloid arthropathy was not associated with decreased survival, except for patients with concomitant cardiac involvement.


CONCLUSIONS
This series provides reliable information on amyloid arthropathy, especially regarding functional effects, anatomical lesions on MRI, and therapeutic options.
Rheumatology Institute, Hĵpital Cochin, Paris, France.
Bruno
B
Fautrel
Jean-Paul
JP
Fermand
Jean
J
Sibilia
Dominique
D
Nochy
Benoît
B
Rousselin
Philippe
P
Ravaud
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015996:Survival Rate