[Hyperviscosity syndrome]

Common clinical manifestations of the hyperviscosity syndrome are bleeding from mucosal membrane, retinopathy, visual disturbance and neurological disorders. These changes can be lethal, and early recognition is important for the proper therapy. Five to 10 percent of patients with multiple myeloma are suffered from the hyperviscosity syndrome because of increased serum viscosity due to the presence of myeloma protein. These patients were currently treated with the combination of plasmapheresis and cytotoxic drugs. Plasmapheresis is known as an efficient method for rapid improvement of the hyperviscosity syndrome, and double filtration plasmapheresis is most commonly used for plasma exchange of multiple myeloma patients in our country. Recent studies have revealed plasmapheresis make blood flow smooth from the standpoint of blood flow dynamics.