POEMS Syndrome:  Report of Three Cases with Review of the Literature

Somanath Padhi; Tara Roshni Paul; Rajlaxmi Sarangi; Shantveer Uppin; Sundaram Challa; Putcha Deekshanti Narayan

Somanath Padhi¹, Tara Roshni Paul², Rajlaxmi Sarangi³, Shantveer Uppin², Sundaram Challa², Putcha Deekshanti Narayan⁴

¹Department Of Pathology, Pondicherry Institute Of Medical Sciences, Pondicherry, India
²Department Of Pathology, Nizam’s Institute Of Medical Sciences,panjagutta, Hyderabad, India
³Post Graduate Department Of Biochemistry, M.k.c.g Medical College, Berhampur, Orissa, India
⁴Department Of Neurology, Nizam’s Institute Of Medical Sciences, Panjagutta, Hyderabad, India

Keywords: POEMS syndrome, Polyneuropathy, Radiology, Therapy, Outcome.

Abstract

Polyneuropathy (P), organomegaly (O), endocrinopathy (E), monoclonal gammopathy (M), and skin changes(S) (POEMS) syndrome is a rare multisystemic disease that occurs in the setting of plasma cell dyscrasia. Several hundred cases have been reported in world literature. The exact prevalence is not known as the syndrome may be underreported. We reported three such cases (two males, one female) over a period of five years (January 2005 to December 2009). The clinicopathological, radiological, biochemical, and therapeutic outcome data of all the three cases are presented with a review of literature. Awareness about this entity and multidisciplinary approach is essential to make a diagnosis in these patients.