[POEMS syndrome. Report of a case]

POEMS syndrome is a multisystem disorder with signs such as peripheral neuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein, skin lesions, papilledema, and increased cerebrospinal fluid proteins, which can also evolve with renal and cardiac affection. It is considered a result of a plasma cell cyscrasia with the production of a monoclonal protein. A 46-year old man was seen as an outpatient referring progressive weakness of legs and arms, fever, impotence, inguinal and cervical lymphadenopathies, peripheral edema, hepatomegaly and skin hyperpigmentation. In laboratory test, platelet count was between 528 x 10(9)/L and 599 x 10(9)/L, creatinine clearance 27.2 ml/min, proteinuria 0.8 g/dl, IgA 455 mg/dl, T3 30 ng/100 ml, T4 2.6 vg/dl, T4F 0.5 ng/dl, TSH 12.4 vU/ml; testosterone 1.56 ng/ml. The electromyography showed a mixed sensitive-motor pattern. On the pelvis radiography, an osteosclerotic lesion on the left sacroiliac joint was identified. Bone biopsy of the site of the sclerotic lesion revealed plasma cell dyscrasia. The patient was treated with diuretics, digitalis and prednisone. Diagnosis of this disorder is difficult because of the multipathology it is necessary to establish differential diagnosis.