Thrombotic Microangiopathy in Multiple Myeloma

Background: Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a hematologic syndrome associated with endothelial injury, microvascular thrombosis, and hemolytic anemia resulting in end organ damage. TMA is rarely associated with multiple myeloma (MM) and is usually reported in the setting of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants (AHSCT), with associated graft versus host disease and calcineurin inhibitor use. We present 11 cases of TMA in MM patients not associated with AHSCT.

Methods: Cases were collected from multiple centers in patients with confirmed diagnosis of MM. TMA was diagnosed by the presence of thrombocytopenia and evidence of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia.

Results: Eleven patients with MM were identified to have developed TMA during the course of their disease. Two patients presented with TMA at the time of MM diagnosis. A third had been off treatment for over a year prior to presenting with a TMA which correlated with a significant increase in her free light chains. The other cases occurred during active treatment. All remaining patients received proteasome inhibitors, with three patients on bortezomib-based regimens and five patients on carfilzomib. One patient on a bortezomib-based regimen had been stable prior to developing a TMA in the setting of sepsis. In the remaining patients, the TMA developed rapidly after initiating the proteasome inhibitor. In all cases, the TMA improved after drug withdrawal. One patient was later rechallenged with bortezomib and again developed TMA.

Discussion: A review of the literature reveals only nine cases of TMA with MM. Of these, 4 patients had TMA as the initial presentation of MM, and 5 patients were on treatment, most often bortezomib-based regimens. Our series patients match those in the literature closely and demonstrate that TMAs can occur in MM outside of the context of AHSCT. In roughly one third of patients, TMAs were the initial presentation of MM and improved with treatment of the MM. In others, the use of proteasome inhibitors appears to be associated with development of TMA. In these cases, the temporal correlation, resolution of TMA after medication withdrawal, and the instance of recurrence of TMA with rechallenge of bortezomib, support a causal relationship between the medication and the TMA. Thus, a high clinical suspicion for TMA must exist for patients on proteasome inhibitors who develop worsening anemia and thrombocytopenia. Medication should be withdrawn if TMA is diagnosed.