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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
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Arthritis and Rheumatism |
Arthritis & Multiple Myeloma01/18/1999 |
Can you tell me about rheumatoid arthritis symptoms that are mimicked by multiple myeloma complications?
Multiple myeloma frequently causes back and chest wall pain, which do not resemble rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. However, some patients with multiple myeloma develop a second, related disease, called amyloidosis. This disease is caused by a fragment of the myeloma protein, which polymerizes in an abnormal way and can deposit in different organs, where it can interfere with function. Amyloidosis can cause carpal tunnel syndrome (weakness and pain in the hand and arm, in the distribution of the median nerve, which is compressed by amyloid protein), and occasionally, an arthritis that affects the hands, wrists and shoulders, which, like rheumatoid arthritis, is symmetrical (similar on both sides of the body). Amyloid protein can also be deposited in the skin, where it can resemble rheumatoid nodules. Myeloma can be diagnosed by blood and urine tests and bone marrow biopsy; amyloidosis can be diagnosed by biopsy of the synovium (tissue around the joint) or other involved areas.
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Fred Finkelman, MD Director, Division of Immunology Division of Immunology and Allergy Department of Internal Medicine College of Medicine University of Cincinnati |
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