Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Associated with Nephrotic Syndrome and Dermatomyositis

Several types of autoimmune complications of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) have been previously reported. However, the tendency to develop autoantibodies is usually restricted to the hematopoietic system. We report a 68-year-old man who had developed dermatomyositis after ten years of chemotherapy for CLL. He also had secondary nephrotic syndrome at the onset of CLL. Subsequently, the patient died of perforation of the small intestine. The association of both nephrotic syndrome and dermatomyositis with CLL is very rare. We discuss the possibility of a causal relation. (Internal Medicine 34: 15-17, 1995)