Multiple myeloma, amyloid arthropathy, and pathological fracture of the femur
- 1 January 1978
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wolters Kluwer Health in Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery
- Vol. 60 (1) , 135-137
- https://doi.org/10.2106/00004623-197860010-00024
Abstract
Multiple myeloma is regarded as a proliferation of neoplastic plasma cells producing an abnormal protein and is a relatively common disease. As a widely recognized cause of lysis of bone producing pathological fractures, it frequently affects the vertebrae and ribs. The clinical syndrome includes back pain, weakness and fatigue at the onset, followed by skeletal lesions and renal insufficiency. Increased susceptibility to infection, neurological disturbance and hypercalcemia are also classic findings. The diagnosis is usually made by histological examination of the bone marrow and electrophoretic testing of serum and urine. The accumulation of amyloid in many organs of patients with multiple myeloma was well documented, but less attention was directed to the presence of this proteinaceous material in diarthrodial joints and in the substance of the skeleton itself. Rheumatologists have become aware of a rare form of amyloid arthropathy associated with multiple myeloma which symmetrically involves large joints and simulates rheumatoid arthritis. A patient with known light chain myeloma in whom the clinical findings of amyloid arthropathy developed is described. Following chemotherapy for that lesion, he had a pathological fracture through an area of bone extensively involved with amyloid.Keywords
This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- Multiple myeloma with paramyloidosis presenting as rheumatoid diseaseThe American Journal of Medicine, 1964