[Mononeuropathy in chronic lymphatic leukaemia].
BACKGROUND
Chronic lymphatic leukaemia (CLL) is the most frequent form of leukaemia in the adult population in western countries. Only 7.2% of the complications of CLL are neurological and most of them are secondary to an infection by herpes zoster virus.


METHODS
We report the case of a 71-year-old female with B-type CLL in stage IV or type C that was progressing and becoming diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (Richter's syndrome), who developed an incomplete axonotmesis of the left peroneal nerve and numerous violet-coloured nodules under the skin in the left knee. Magnetic resonance imaging showed signs of diffuse infiltration into the subcutaneous tissue and the muscles of the left leg; a biopsy study of one of the subcutaneous nodules revealed a lymphoid infiltration by large B-cells. In this patient, the injury to the left peroneal nerve was probably secondary to a lymphoid infiltration of the nerve from adjacent infiltrated soft tissues.


CONCLUSIONS
Peripheral neuropathy due to direct infiltration can be a neurological complication of CLL that has not be reported to date, but which is known to occur in other lymphoproliferative processes.
Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitario de Getafe, 28905 Getafe, España. escolaredu@hotmail.com
E
E
Escolar
J
J
García-Vela
Y
Y
Aladro
B
B
Martínez-Menéndez
A
A
Martín
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology