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Vascular endothelial growth factor helps differentiate neuropathies in rare plasma cell dyscrasias
Author(s) -
Briani Chiara,
Fabrizi Gian Maria,
Ruggero Susanna,
Torre Chiara Dalla,
Ferrarini Moreno,
Campagnolo Marta,
Cavallaro Tiziana,
Ferrari Sergio,
Scarlato Marina,
Taioli Federica,
Adami Fausto
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.21872
Subject(s) - poems syndrome , amyloidosis , transthyretin , plasma cell dyscrasia , medicine , polyneuropathy , al amyloidosis , dyscrasia , plasma cell , gastroenterology , amyloid (mycology) , vascular endothelial growth factor , myopathy , pathology , multiple myeloma , immunoglobulin light chain , immunology , vegf receptors , antibody
POEMS syndrome and amyloidosis are rare plasma cell diseases that share common features, including polyneuropathy. The aim of this study was to investigate serum vascular endothelial growth factor (sVEGF) in patients with amyloidosis and to evaluate changes in response to treatment. Twenty‐five patients [17 primary light‐chain amyloidosis (AL‐A), 7 transthyretin amyloidosis (TTR‐A), 1 senile wild‐type TTR‐A] were studied. sVEGF was analyzed by ELISA. Sera from 8 myeloma and 7 POEMS patients were also evaluated. The median sVEGF level was 420 pg/ml in AL‐A and 179 pg/ml in TTR‐A patients; this was significantly lower than in POEMS syndrome (median 2580 pg/ml, P = 0.0002 and 0.001, respectively). sVEGF of AL‐A patients showed no changes in response to treatment. sVEGF was not increased in amyloid patients regardless of neuropathy, and did not mirror the course of the disease. sVEGF should be tested in patients with overlapping and atypical clinical features. Muscle Nerve, 2011