Joint Pain and Arthritis as First Clinical Manifestation of Systemic Amyloidosis and Multiple Myeloma: Case Report and Brief Literature Review

• Published in: Hematology reports Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 19 - 23
• Main Authors: Mazziotta, Francesco, Buda, Gabriele, Del Giudice, Maria Livia, Orciuolo, Enrico, Benedetti, Edoardo, Masini, Matilde, De Tata, Vincenzo, Galimberti, Sara, Petrini, Mario
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 02.03.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Amyloidosis; Arthritis; Autoimmune diseases; Biopsy; Bone marrow; Case Report; Conflicts of interest; Diagnosis; Hematology; immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis; joint diseases; Light; Literature reviews; Medical imaging; Microscopy; Multiple myeloma; Patients; plasma cell neoplasm; Stem cells; Transplants & implants; Ultrasonic imaging; multiple myeloma; immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis; joint diseases; plasma cell neoplasm
• ISSN: 2038-8322; 2038-8330; 2038-8330
• DOI: 10.3390/hematolrep14010004

Amyloidosis is a rare disease that is often seen in conjunction with multiple myeloma (MM). Its damage varies depending on the anatomical site affected; however, it is believed that many cases of amyloidosis are misrecognized due to the fact that its signs and symptoms are nonspecific. Joint amyloidosis, in particular, may be confused with degenerative or autoimmune diseases. When it is associated with MM, it can significantly precede the diagnosis of the latter. We describe a case report of a woman of Nigerian heritage diagnosed with MM with widespread joint manifestations compatible with a diagnosis of amyloidosis, which had preceded the diagnosis of MM and benefited from MM treatment. Faced with the suspicion of amyloidosis, if confirmed, this can be used to anticipate the diagnosis of MM, and at a more advanced stage, it can benefit from the treatment of the MM.