Early Electrophysiologic Findings for Polyneuropathy Associated with POEMS Syndrome: A Case Report

doi:2018.20.1.59

J Electrodiagn Neuromuscul Dis > Volume 20(1); 2018 > Article

Case Report

J Korean Assoc EMG Electrodiagn Med 2018;20(1):59-65.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18214/jkaem.2018.20.1.59 Published online June 30, 2018.

Early Electrophysiologic Findings for Polyneuropathy Associated with POEMS Syndrome: A Case Report

Received: 30 January 2018 • Revised: 9 April 2018 • Accepted: 27 April 2018

Abstract

A female patient with incidental inguinal mass was initially diagnosed with Castleman disease (CD) via lymph node biopsy and presented paresthesia of stocking and glove patterns with weakness after two cycles of chemotherapy. Severe and diffuse sensorimotor peripheral polyneuropathy (PPNP) was revealed, and POEMS syndrome (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein, skin changes) was finally diagnosed according to the diagnostic criteria. Early stages of POEMS syndrome may be misdiagnosed as other diseases such as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Therefore, accurate diagnosis of this disease is delayed and difficult. For this reason, little early electrophysiological findings have been reported. Here we report early electrophysiological findings of POEMS syndrome, demonstrating the ambiguity of the terminal latency index delay warranting attention.

Key Words: POEMS syndrome, polyneuropathies, electromyography