Table 1.
Comparison of patients with and without cerebral artery stenosis/occlusion in POEMS syndrome
| Characteristics | All (n = 61) |
Stenosis/occlusion (n = 29) |
No stenosis/occlusion (n = 32) |
P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | ||||
| Age at MRA/CTA, y, (mean ± SD) a | 55.5 ± 13.1 | 53.2 ± 14.9 | 57.4 ± 11.1 | 0.210 |
| Sex (male/female) b | 36/25 | 16/13 | 20/12 | 0.561 |
| Onset to diagnosis, y, median (range) c | 1.5 (0.2–10.3) | 1.4 (0.2–10.3) | 1.6 (0.2–9.6) | 0.806 |
| Onset to MRA/CTA, y, median (range) c | 2.7 (0.2–13.3) | 2.4 (0.2–12.4) | 2.9 (0.2–13.3) | 0.948 |
| Relevant comorbidities, n (%) | ||||
| Cerebral infarction d | 8 (13.1) | 8 (27.6) | 0 (0) | 0.001 |
| Castleman disease d | 8 (13.1) | 3 (10.3) | 5 (15.6) | 0.412 |
| Pulmonary hypertension d | 4 (6.6) | 3 (10.3) | 1 (3.1) | 0.270 |
| Relevant POEMS features, n (%) | ||||
| Polyneuropathy | 61 (100) | 29 (100) | 32 (100) | NA |
| Organomegaly d | 55 (90.2) | 26 (90.0) | 29 (90.6) | 0.616 |
| Endocrinopathy b | 37 (60.7) | 19 (65.5) | 18 (56.3) | 0.459 |
| Extravascular volume overload d | 59 (96.7) | 29 (100) | 30 (93.8) | 0.271 |
| Monoclonal plasma cell proliferative disorder d | 60 (98.4) | 28 (96.6) | 32 (100) | 0.475 |
| Skin changes d | 59 (96.7) | 28 (96.6) | 31 (96.9) | 0.729 |
| Sclerotic bone lesions d | 52 (85.2) | 23 (79.3) | 29 (90.6) | 0.189 |
| Laboratory studies | ||||
| Maximum VEGF value, ng/ml, median (range) c | 4.910 (1.03–31.70) | 7.250 (1.33–31.70) | 4.695 (1.03–11.70) | 0.028 |
| Risk factors for atherosclerosis, n (%) | ||||
| Hypertension b | 23 (37.7) | 10 (34.5) | 13 (40.6) | 0.621 |
| Dyslipidemia b | 27 (44.3) | 14 (48.3) | 13 (40.6) | 0.548 |
| Diabetes d | 7 (11.5) | 4 (13.8) | 3 (9.4) | 0.443 |
| Smoking d | 8 (13.1) | 4 (13.8) | 4 (12.5) | 0.588 |
| Previous treatment, n (%) | ||||
| None b | 31 (50.8) | 12 (41.4) | 19 (59.4) | 0.160 |
| Corticosteroids b | 31 (50.8) | 17 (58.6) | 14 (43.8) | 0.246 |
| Melphalan d | 6 (9.8) | 3 (10.3) | 3 (9.4) | 0.616 |
| Cyclophosphamide d | 2 (3.3) | 2 (6.9) | 0 (0) | 0.222 |
| Thalidomide b | 13 (21.3) | 9 (31.0) | 4 (12.5) | 0.078 |
| ASCT d | 9 (14.8) | 6 (20.7) | 3 (9.4) | 0.189 |
| Renalidomide d | 1 (1.6) | 1 (3.4) | 0 (0) | 0.475 |
| Bortezomib d | 1 (1.6) | 1 (3.4) | 0 (0) | 0.475 |
| Bevacizumab d | 2 (3.3) | 2 (6.9) | 0 (0) | 0.222 |
| Radiation d | 3 (4.9) | 1 (3.4) | 2 (6.3) | 0.537 |
MRA magnetic resonance angiography; CTA computed tomography angiography; NA not applicable; ASCT autologous peripheral blood stem-cell transplantation
aStudent’s t-test
bχ2 test
cMann–Whitney U test
dFisher’s exact probability test