title: Successful treatment of POEMS syndrome complicated by severe congestive heart failure with thalidomide.
abstract: A 55-year-old woman was diagnosed with POEMS syndrome; however, we could not perform high-dose chemotherapy with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (auto-PBSCT) because of rapidly progressive congestive heart failure. Thus, we treated the patient with thalidomide plus dexamethasone, which brought about a marked improvement of systolic dysfunction, POEMS syndrome-related symptoms and the serum concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor. Subsequently, we safely performed high-dose chemotherapy with auto-PBCST. This report strongly suggests that thalidomide is effective for POEMS syndrome, even if complicated by congestive heart failure which is considered to be related to POEMS syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital.
authors.forename: Daichi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Aiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Sumie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tabata
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitai
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takiuchi
authors.forename: Takaharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Sonoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimoji
authors.forename: Minako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Yuya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Katsuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Togami
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Hayato
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maruoka
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Minako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beppu
authors.forename: Michi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawamoto
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004358:Drug Therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016878:POEMS Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D036102:Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D013792:Thalidomide; D003907:Dexamethasone