http://www.fpnotebook.com/

Hyperviscosity Syndrome

Aka: Hyperviscosity Syndrome

Causes
1. Leukemia
2. Multiple Myeloma
3. Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia
  1. Hyperviscosity uncommon
Pathophysiology
1. Increased circulating serum Immunoglobulins
2. Immunoglobulins coat Red Blood Cells
3. Results in increased viscosity and sludging
4. End result is end organ decreased perfusion
Signs
1. Spontaneous bleeding
2. Peripheral Neuropathy
3. Vision change
  1. Hemorrhagic Retinal veins (appear as sausages)
Labs
1. Serum viscosity: >5 cP
Management
1. Plasmaphoresis
2. Chemotherapy
References
1. Higdon (2006) Am Fam Physician 74:1873-80

Hyperviscosity syndrome (C0221030)
Definition (CSP)	any syndrome associated with increased viscosity of the blood; in syndrome of serum hyperviscosity there is spontaneous bleeding and neurologic and ocular disorders; syndromes of polycythemic hyperviscosity is marked by retarded blood flow, organ congestion, reduced capillary perfusion, and increased cardiac effort; syndromes of sclerocythemic hyperviscosity comprise those in which the deformability of erythrocytes is impaired, as in sickle cell anemia.
Concepts	Disease or Syndrome (T047)
SnomedCT	11888009
English	HYPERVISCOSITY SYNDROME, hyperviscosity syndrome, hyperviscosity syndromes, Hyperviscosity syndrome, Reimann's syndrome, Hyperviscosity syndrome (disorder)
Italian	Sindrome da iperviscosità
Japanese	過粘稠度症候群, ｶﾈﾝﾁｮｳﾄﾞｼｮｳｺｳｸﾞﾝ
Czech	Hyperviskózní syndrom
Hungarian	hyperviscositas syndroma
Spanish	síndrome de Reimann, síndrome de hiperviscosidad (trastorno), síndrome de hiperviscosidad, Síndrome de hiperviscosidad
Portuguese	Síndrome de hiperviscosidade
Dutch	hyperviscositeitssyndroom
French	Syndrome d'hyperviscosité sanguine
German	Hyperviskositaetssyndrom
Sources	Derived from the NIH UMLS (Unified Medical Language System)

Family Practice Notebook

Patients should address specific medical concerns with their physicians.

Although access to this page is not restricted, the information found here is intended for use by medical providers.

This page was written by Scott Moses, MD, last revised on 10/21/2007 and last published on 2/5/2012.

This is one of 5663 pages in the Family Practice Notebook