The Open Leukemia Journal
2010, 3 : 74-78Published online 2010 October 29. DOI: 10.2174/1876816401003010074
Publisher ID: TOLEUKEMIAJ-3-74
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Monitoring of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in POEMS Syndrome
1
Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic
2 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic
* Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Olomouc, I. P. Pavlova 6 775 20 Olomouc, Czech Republic; Tel: 420-585-3362; Fax: 420-585-2526; E-mail: abretina@email.cz
2 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic
* Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Olomouc, I. P. Pavlova 6 775 20 Olomouc, Czech Republic; Tel: 420-585-3362; Fax: 420-585-2526; E-mail: abretina@email.cz
ABSTRACT
POEMS syndrome is a clinical unit with a very heterogenous clinical behavior. Its diagnostics as well as monitoring are not easy and depend on clinician´s experience. We present three case reports of patients with POEMS syndrome with different clinical manifestation and course of the disease. Our presentation demonstrates the benefit of the use of biochemical parameter VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor). Retrospective analysis revealed that VEGF behaved accordingly with the state of the disease, i.e. it increased in active phase and decreased with remission of the disease. We suggest the use of VEGF not only for the diagnostics but also as a potential marker of therapeutic response and for monitoring of the course of POEMS syndrome.