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Rare disease
POEMS syndrome – a unique presentation of a rare paraneoplastic syndrome
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  1. J Livingston1,
  2. C Cobiella2,
  3. M A Hall-Craggs3
  1. 1Accident and Emergency Department, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital, Nethermayne, Essex, UK
  2. 2Department of Orthopaedics, University College Hospital, London, UK
  3. 3Department of Radiology, University College Hospital, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to J Livingston, judithlivingston{at}hotmail.co.uk

Summary

POEMS (peripheral neuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M protein, skin changes) syndrome is a rare multisystem paraneoplastic disorder. A 40-year-old male with a history of peripheral neuropathy and erectile dysfunction presented with a pathological fracture of the neck of the femur, found to be a solitary plasmacytoma. Additional unusual features included splenomegaly, hyperprolactinaemia and skin changes. The patient had a total hip replacement at a specialist orthopaedic hospital and is due to undergo radiotherapy to the femoral lesion and autologous stem cell transplantation.

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Footnotes

  • Competing interests None.

  • Patient consent Obtained.