[POEMS syndrome]

The POEMS syndrome is a rare multisystem disorder of obscure pathogenesis characterized by polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy of various forms, production of monoclonal component, and skin changes. This syndrome occurs only in about 1% of plasmocytoma cases, but in more than 50% of the rare osteosclerotic subtypes and plasma cell dyscrasias. Therefore it is frequently associated with multicentric Castleman's disease. Chronically elevated serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines associated with a weak or even decreased of anti-inflammatory cytokines, is a feature of this syndrome. Recently, the overproduction of serum vascular endothelial growth factor may be relevant to the pathogenesis of most the manifestations including neuropathy.