Successful treatment of POEMS syndrome complicated by severe congestive heart failure with thalidomide.
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.
Inoue
Daichi
D
Department of Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital.
Kato
Aiko
A
Tabata
Sumie
S
Kitai
Takeshi
T
Takiuchi
Yoko
Y
Kimura
Takaharu
T
Shimoji
Sonoko
S
Mori
Minako
M
Nagai
Yuya
Y
Togami
Katsuhiro
K
Matsushita
Akiko
A
Nagai
Kenichi
K
Maruoka
Hayato
H
Imai
Yukihiro
Y
Beppu
Minako
M
Kawamoto
Michi
M
Takahashi
Takayuki
T
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
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D013792:Thalidomide; D003907:Dexamethasone