[Selected renal complications during the course of multiple myeloma]

Multiple myeloma is the most frequent dysproteinemia leading to nephropathy. The aim of the study was to analyse this complication in patients treated in nephrological departments. The study was performed in 83 patients (45 M, 38 F) aged 47-82 years in whom a diagnosis of multiple myeloma was based on clinical manifestation (weakness, subfebrile states, bone aches, loss of body weight, recurrent infections of urinary and respiratory tracts), increased number of plasmocytes in bone-marrow, presence of monoclonal protein in serum and/or urine and lesions in bone system. In a significant number of the studied patients the disease was revealed while diagnosing proteinuria as well as searching for a reason of elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate or proteinogram abnormalities. The obtained results indicate that signs of nephropathy in the course of multiple myeloma may be the first visible symptoms of the disease. Proteinuria was observed in 79.5% of the studied patients. Bence-Jones protein was found in 41% of individuals and features of renal failure in different stages of development in 67%. Dialysis therapy was started in 3 patients with acute and 7 patients with chronic renal failure.