Clinical and Radiological Features of Multiple Myeloma Patients at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia

Abstract

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common blood cancer after lymphomas, thereby accounting for 10% of all haematological malignancies.
Objectives: To evaluate the clinical and radiological features of Multiple Myeloma at presentation in patients presenting at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Lusaka, Zambia.
Design: Descriptive study
Methods and Results: 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).
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.