Fast Five Quiz: Waldenström Macroglobulinemia Complications

Primary amyloidosis of the heart, kidney, liver, lungs, and joints is a rare complication of IgM gammopathies. If a patient presents with symptoms suggestive of the condition (neuropathy, nephrotic syndrome, or cardiac failure), then abdominal fat-pad needle aspiration, along with bone marrow biopsy, is recommended.

Other more common complications of WM include the following:

• Hyperviscosity syndrome

• Visual disturbances secondary to hyperviscosity syndrome

• Diarrhea and malabsorption secondary to gastrointestinal (GI) involvement

• Renal disease (less common)

• Bleeding manifestations secondary to platelet dysfunction and coagulation factor and fibrinogen abnormalities due to interaction with plasma IgM

• Peripheral neuropathy

• Raynaud phenomenon secondary to cryoglobulinemia

• Increased predisposition to infection due to B-cell dysfunction (disease related) or T-cell dysfunction (therapy related, particularly after nucleoside analogues)

• Cardiac failure

• Increased incidence of lymphomas, myelodysplasia, and leukemias

Learn more about complications of WM.

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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.

Cite this: Emmanuel C. Besa. Fast Five Quiz: Waldenström Macroglobulinemia Complications - Medscape - Feb 01, 2021.