[POEMS syndrome]

Poems syndrome is a rare multisystemic disorder. It manifestations are Polyneuropathy, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, and/or Edema, Monoclonal protein and changes in the Skin. (P.O.E.M.S.) Though some bibliography make no difference with osteoesclerotic myeloma it is considered a real syndrome. The polyneuropathy is customarily severe. Although high levels of immunoglobulins has been found in the poems, it has not been isolated a specific antibody that explain the polyneuropathy even though it is strongly suspected. The organomegaly, endocrinopathy, changes in the skin and other systems and involved organs could be in relationship to products secreted by plasmatic cells. We review the physiopathology and bibliography of the Poems, especially its neurological expression its nosologic location different from osteosclerotic myeloma and a possible relationship to the Herpes Virus 8. It was crossed in Medline the terms P.O.E.M.S. and syndrome and were obtained 271 abstracts that were all examined and finally selected the bibliography considerate meaningful for the objectives. It is presented briefly a case. P.O.E.M.S. is a syndrome that is associated to multiple plasma cell dyscracia, included the osteoesclerotic myeloma. Prognosis and the treatment vary with the underlying disease. As physiopathology of this syndrome is insinuated the action of the interleukins 1-beta (IL-1 beta) and 6 (IL-6), the vascular growth endothelial factor (VGEF), the tumoral necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and antibodies anti-nerve. The P.O.E.M.S. is a syndrome with own identity. The Herpes Virus 8 may plays a key rol to uncover the Poems physiopathology.