POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein and skin changes) syndrome in China

The clinical characteristics of POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein and skin changes) syndrome in China are largely unknown. This work thus studied the clinical manifestations of POEMS syndrome in China.

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 82 patients with POEMS syndrome in our hospital and made a comparison with those reported outside China.

There were 82 patients. Forty (49%) were 45 years old or younger. Sensorimotor deficits were the common initial symptoms. The clinical manifestations are as follows: (i) peripheral neuropathy and abnormal electromyogram were seen in all patients (100%); (ii) organomegaly was present in 72 patients (88%); 61 of them (74%) had splenomegaly; (iii) endocrinopathy was present in 74 cases (90%); hypothyroidism was seen in 51 of 70 patients (73%); (iv) 60 patients (73%) had monoclonal plasmaproliferative disorder; only 22 of 40 (55%) had M-protein; (v) skin changes were seen in 71 patients (87%); (vi) 68 patients (83%) had oedema and effusions; of these, hydropericardium was seen in 23 patients (28%); (vii) 35 of 55 patients (64%) had abnormal electrocardiogram and only 21 of 46 (46%) had bone lesions in X-ray.

POEMS syndrome in China has its own distinctive features, parts of which are commoner in the young people, the higher frequency of splenomegaly, hypothyroidism, hydropericardium and abnormal electrocardiogram, as well as the lower M-protein and bone lesions in X-ray.