[Analysis of clinical features of 23 patients with POEMS syndrome]

To describe the endocrine abnormalities in patients with POEMS syndrome in order to identify more patients with POEMS syndrome among those who have endocrine dysfunctions.

We searched the inpatient medical record system of Peking University People's Hospital with "POEMS syndrome". Finally the data from 23 patients were analyzed. Epidata 3.0 was used for data entering and SPSS 19.0 was used for statistical analysis.

The median age of all the 23 patients was 47 years. The ratio of male to female was 1.88:1. Polyneuropathy was the most common initial symptom which accounted for 56.5% in the 23 patients. The median duration from the initial symptoms to diagnosis as POEMS syndrome was 30 months. Among all the departments, the number of confirmed cases was highest in the department of neurology. The median duration from the onset of initial symptoms (6 months) to the diagnosis made in neurology department was also significantly shorter than in other departments. Among all the 23 patients, 100.0% of them had polyneuropathy, 82.6% had organomegaly, 95.7% had endocrinopathy, 52.2% were M protein positive, 91.3% had skin changes, 45.5% had papilledema, 43.5% had extravascular volume overload, 43.5% had platelet elevation and 17.4% had Castleman disease. Among all the patients with endocrinopathy, the incidence of hyperprolactinemia was 60.0% which was the highest one followed by thyroid dysfunction and adrenal dysfunction. Among the patients who had endocrine system dysfunctions, most of them had two target endocrine glands involved (36.5%).

Endocrinopathy is an important component of POEMS syndrome and it is of great importance to pay more attention to POEMS syndrome in patients with thyroid dysfunction, adrenal dysfunction, gonadal dysfunction, parathyroid dysfunction, hyperprolactinemia and glucose intolerance, especially in patients with two or more target gland dysfunctions. Symptoms and signs of polyneuropathy should be assessed carefully to reduce misdiagnosis of POEMS syndrome. Evaluation of the endocrine system should also be done in patients diagnosed with POEMS syndrome in order to treat the patients properly.