Myeloma and benign intracranial hypertension.

Benign intracranial hypertension is uncommon, with a prevalence of 0 9 per 100 000 and a noticeable female predominance (8:1). Several associations have been reported including with proliferative haematological disease such as polycythaemia rubra vera, essential thrombocythaemia, and paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria. In a series of 29 men with benign intracranial hypertension an empty sella was noted on 55% of computed tomograms, and nine of them required a shunt.' We report on three patients with myeloma and benign intracranial hypertension without other features consistent with Shimpo's disease2 or the POEMS syndrome3-for example, polyneuropathy, hyperpigmentation, scleroderma, ascites, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphoadenopathy, gynaecomastia, impotence, amenorrhoea, diabetes mellitus, polycythaemia, and osteosclerosis.