Case 3-1990

Abstract

Presentation of CaseA 66-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, with severe weakness, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal bleeding.There was a long history of abuse of tobacco and alcohol. The patient was otherwise in a stable state of health until two months before admission, when fatigue, myalgia, arthralgia, and a low-grade fever developed, with occasional night sweats. Diarrhea, weakness, and peripheral edema soon appeared, and she was admitted to another hospital. Physical examination showed splenomegaly without hepatomegaly; there was prominent peripheral edema. The hematocrit was 26 percent; the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was 114 μm³ per . . .