Polyneuropathies associated with lymphoplasmacytic dyscrasias: the clinical and instrumental characteristics of a 38-patient case load
Rupoli, S.; Logullo, F.; di Bella, P.; Brianzoni, M.F.; Salvi, A.; D'Amico, S.; Olivieri, A.; Leoni, P.
Recenti Progressi in Medicina 83(10): 541-545
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0034-1193 PMID: 1462036 Document Number: 393242
A varying percentage from 40 to 60% of patients having lymphoplasmacytic dyscrasias with a monoclonal component shows a clinical or subclinical polyneuropathy. From a different viewpoint, a monoclonal gammopathy has been detected in 10% of patients effected by chronic idiopathic polyneuropathy. A case study of 38 patients with lymphoplasmacytic dyscrasia subjected to clinical, immunohematological and electrophysiological examination revealed a high prevalence of polyneuropathy (84%), mainly axonal (72%) and often subclinical. The neuropathy was evenly distributed between patients having malignant and benign lymphoplasmacytic dyscrasias. No statistically significant correlation was found between the presence of neuropathy and the main clinical and immunohematological data. This supports the concept that the pathogenesis of polyneuropathy associated with lymphoplasmacytic dyscrasias may be multifactorial. Nor can it be ruled out that the paraprotein may in fact be secondary to the polyneuropathy or sometimes a simple coincidence.