Clinical and radiological features of multiple myeloma patients at the University Teaching Hospital,

Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common blood cancer after lymphomas, thereby accounting for 10% of all haematological malignancies. The objective of the study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological features of Multiple Myeloma at presentation in patients presenting at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Lusaka, Zambia. Descriptive study was the design used in the study and results showed that the record files of patients diagnosed with MM from 2008-2015 April were reviewed. Data was analysed using SPSS Version 22. The median age at diagnosis was 53.0 (range 32-81 years). From 46 patients, 25 (54%) were men and 21(46%) were females. The most frequent and common clinical and radiological features in order of occurrence were osteolytic lesions (65%), back pain (59%), bone pain (46%), anaemia (30%), pathological fractures (26%), chest pain (26%) and fatigue (15%). Females had a higher proportion of fatigue than men with (P= 0.036). It was also observed that pathological fractures in individuals with osteolytic lesions were statistically significant with (P=0.001).In conclusion, It was observed that osteolytic lesions which are a radiological feature of MM were the most frequent feature of patients presenting with MM at UTH, Lusaka Zambia.