Poems syndrome: a case report
Tellería, A.; Hernández-González, E.; Gómez-Fernández, L.; Mustelier, R.; Calzada-Sierra, D.
Revista de Neurologia 25(140): 565-568
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0210-0010 PMID: 9172922 Document Number: 483782
The Poems syndrome (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammapathy and skin changes) is an uncommon multisystemic disorder. Usually it is a manifestation of a type of myeloma of which the chief characteristic is the presence of osteosclerotic lesions, classically seen radiologically to be single or multiple. Nowadays, not only is Poems considered to be a manifestation of osteosclerotic myeloma, but may also be seen associated with other plasma cell dyscrasias. We present a case of Poems syndrome secondary to a plasmocytoma of the dorsal vertebral column in a 32 year old male negro. Initially he had sensori-motor polyneuropathy associated with other features characteristic of the syndrome (organomegaly, IgA monoclonal gammapathy and skin changes). Later he also showed signs attributed to a compressive lesion of the dorsal spinal medulla. An unusual finding in this patient was that the bony lesion was predominantly osteoclytic. We briefly review the syndrome and comment on the diagnosis.