[Buschke's scleredema and monoclonal dysglobulinemia: apropos of 3 cases]

A monoclonal gammopathy was observed in 3 adult patients with long-term and widespread scleredema (Buschke's disease). There was no evidence of multiple myeloma in any patient. The monoclonal immunoglobulin was in every case of the IgG-kappa type. Bence Jones proteinuria was noted in 1 case (kappa). Deposition of monoclonal IgG-kappa in the skin was not detected by immunofluorescence microscopy. These findings and previous reports of 5 cases suggest that diffuse scleredema may be frequently associated with paraproteinemia, but the role of monoclonal immunoglobulins in the pathogenesis of the disease remains to be clarified.