Unexpected discovery of multiple myeloma following cardiomyopathy

Souhail Dahraoui1, Jean Uwingabiye1, Badia Belarj1

  • 1Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Toxicology Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy Mohammed V University Rabat Morocco.

Clinical Case Reports
|January 30, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Unexpected multiple myeloma was discovered in an elderly patient presenting with cardiomyopathy. This highlights the importance of investigating anemia thoroughly before attributing it to heart or kidney issues, especially in older adults.

Area of Science:

  • Internal Medicine
  • Hematology
  • Geriatrics

Background:

  • Cardiomyopathy is a common condition in elderly patients.
  • Anemia is frequently observed in patients with heart failure and kidney disease.

Observation:

  • An elderly patient admitted to the emergency department with cardiomyopathy presented with unexpectedly discovered multiple myeloma.
  • The patient's anemia was initially considered secondary to heart failure or kidney disease.

Findings:

  • Serum protein electrophoresis revealed the presence of multiple myeloma.
  • The anemia was directly linked to the underlying multiple myeloma, not solely to cardiomyopathy or kidney disease.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the necessity of a comprehensive diagnostic workup for anemia in elderly patients, even when cardiac or renal conditions are apparent.
  • Serum protein electrophoresis should be considered a crucial diagnostic tool for identifying hematological malignancies like multiple myeloma in older individuals presenting with nonspecific symptoms.

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