[Waldenström's macroglobulinemia and arthritis]

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Oncology
• Rheumatology

Background:

• Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder.
• Articular manifestations are uncommon in WM, with limited literature on synovial involvement.

Observation:

• A 67-year-old female presented with knee arthritis and pleural effusion.
• Anatomopathological examination revealed lympho-plasmatic cell infiltration in both affected sites.
• Differential diagnoses including amyloidosis, infection, and crystal-induced arthritis were excluded.

Findings:

• The key finding was infiltrative lympho-plasmatic cell reaction within the synovial tissue.
• This represents a rare pathological finding in Waldenström's macroglobulinemia.
• The study reviews the incidence of joint involvement in WM.

Implications:

• This case expands the understanding of WM's extra-nodal manifestations.
• It underscores the importance of considering WM in patients with unexplained arthritis and effusion.
• Further research into the pathogenetic mechanisms of synovial infiltration in WM is warranted.