Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia presenting as isolated epistaxis: a common complaint but a rare cause.
A patient with isolated severe epistaxis and non-specific history or examination findings was shown to have anaemia, raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), renal impairment and raised total protein with hypercoagulable blood. Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia was diagnosed after serum electrophoresis and bone marrow studies. Urgent plasma exchange and chemotherapy were undertaken to good effect. This case was a diagnostic dilemma, as the presentation of this common complaint did not initially suggest the rare underlying cause.
Bakri
Karim
K
Renal and Transplantation unit, Guy's and St Thomas Hospitals, London, UK.
Haydar
Ali A
AA
Davis
Jeremy
J
Walt
Jon Wan Der
JW
Kazmi
Majid
M
Goldsmith
David J A
DJ
D000368:Aged; D001856:Bone Marrow Examination; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004586:Electrophoresis; D004844:Epistaxis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D008258:Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy