Clinical and Haematological Aspects of Macroglobulinaemia Waldenström

Macroglobulinaemia Waldenström: A Case with Haemolytic Syndrome and Involvement of the Nervous System

“…This is unusual in macroglobulinaemia. Waldenstrom (2) says that there are no skeletal pains, while Imhof et al (18) have found this symptom reported in 15 cases, probably arising from osteoporosis and arthrosis deformans.…”

“…I t may have developed because of reduced erythropoiesis, haemorrhagic diathesis, or increased haemolysis. Auto-immune haemolytic anaemia has been reported in a few cases of macroglobulinaemia (18,19,20,21,22,23).…”

“…Anaemia represents an important part of the clinical picture of macroglobulinaemia and is described in 81 % of the cases reported (1 8). The anaemia is often severe and resistant to therapy (2), and is usually normochromic (18). I t may have developed because of reduced erythropoiesis, haemorrhagic diathesis, or increased haemolysis.…”

Serum Haptoglobin Level in Conditions Associated with M‐Components

“…Macroglobulinaemia Waldenstrom is accompanied by anaemia in about 80 per cent of all cases (14,18,22,37,39). This has been ascribed to several factors, such as deficient erythropoiesis, increased destruction of the erythrocytes, external blood losses and iron deficiency (13,18,22,31,39). Thorough erythrokinetic and red-cell survival studies have been performed in only one small series (1 3).…”

“…Thorough erythrokinetic and red-cell survival studies have been performed in only one small series (1 3). During the last decade some 15 cases with M-components of type yIM and haemolytic anaemia ( I , 7, 8, 10,13,15,16,18,22,26,34,43) have been reported. Electrophoretic "7,-peaks" (10, 11) have also been observed in acquired haemolytic anaemia and those examined were shown to consist of ylM-globulins (1 1).…”