eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Allergy & Immunology
Schnitzler Syndrome
Updated: Jun 30, 2009
Introduction
Background
Schnitzler syndrome (SS), first reported in 1972,1 is characterized by chronic, nonpruritic urticaria in association with recurrent fever, bone pain, arthralgia or arthritis, and a monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM) gammopathy in a concentration that is usually less than 10 g/L. Since 1972, approximately 100 cases of Schnitzler syndrome have been reported.2,3
Pathophysiology
The exact pathogenesis of Schnitzler syndrome is unclear. Some hypothesize that the deposition of the IgM paraprotein, leading to the formation of immune complexes and the activation of the complement cascade, is responsible for the cutaneous manifestations of Schnitzler syndrome. Another proposed mechanism involves the uncontrolled activation of interleukin 1-alpha (IL-1alpha).
Frequency
United States
Only a few cases of Schnitzler syndrome have been reported from the United States.
International
Schnitzler syndrome is rare, with approximately 100 cases reported in the literature. The original case was from France, with the greatest number of cases originating from the same country. The vast majority of cases come from Western Europe.
Mortality/Morbidity
Most Schnitzler syndrome patients have a chronic benign course. Spontaneous remissions have not been reported. Approximately 10-15% of patients eventually develop a lymphoproliferative disorder, including lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, Waldenström macroglobulinemia, or IgM myeloma. Schnitzler's original patient died at age 88 years, with a diffuse lymphoplasmacytic infiltration of his liver and bone marrow. Thus, the initial workup of a Schnitzler syndrome patient should include an examination of the bone marrow, immunoelectrophoresis of serum, and a urinary protein level. A lymph node biopsy should be performed if the nodes are enlarged.
Race
The majority of Schnitzler syndrome cases are in white western Europeans.
Sex
Males have a slight predominance.
Age
Patients with Schnitzler syndrome have ranged from age 13-71 years at the time of diagnosis. The average age of onset is approximately 52 years,2,3 although the average delay to diagnosis is more than 5 years.
Clinical
History
All patients with Schnitzler syndrome present with a chronic, recurrent, urticarial eruption. Pruritus is usually absent at the disease onset, but lesions may become mildly pruritic in approximately 45% of patients after 3-4 years. The skin eruption is usually the first symptom to occur, primarily affecting the trunk and the extremities, and sparing the palms, soles, and head and neck areas
Approximately 90% of Schnitzler syndrome patients experience recurrent fevers. Each febrile episode usually resolves within a few hours; however, fevers can persist for up to 24-48 hours. Episodes may occur daily or as infrequently as twice per year. Chills are rare. In some cases, the fever and rash are not related.
Concurrent with the fever, 80% of patients report relapsing arthralgias, 70% report bone pain (usually in the large joints), and myalgias. The bone pain mostly affects the iliac bone and the tibia. The femur, spine, forearms, and clavicle are less often involved. Additionally, fatigue and weight loss occur in a high percentage of patients.
Physical
The urticarial rash of Schnitzler syndrome consists of pale-rose, slightly elevated papules and plaques. Individual lesions are 0.5-3 cm in diameter. New lesions appear daily. They last 12-24 hours and then disappear without sequelae. Angioedema is possible but is very rare. Lymphadenopathy may be found up to 50% of patients, hepatomegaly in 30% of patients, and splenomegaly in 10% of patients.
A set of diagnostic criteria have been proposed.4 This defines Schnitzler syndrome as a combination of chronic urticaria and IgM gammopathy and at least 2 of the following criteria:
- Recurrent fever
- Arthralgia or arthritis
- Bone pain
- Lymphadenopathy
- Hepatomegaly or splenomegaly
- Leukocytosis
- Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
- Bone abnormalities (upon radiologic or histopathologic investigations)
The diagnosis would apply after exclusion of other causes.
Causes
No risk factors have so far been identified. The pathogenesis of Schnitzler syndrome is still not well defined. Patients have shown deposition of IgM in the involved tissue. Using anti-idiotype antibodies, IgM monoclonal antibodies were demonstrated to react with epidermal antigens.5 In one case, monoclonal IgM was found to target 50-, 31-, and 17-kd proteins within epidermal extracts.6 These findings suggest that the IgM deposits may be involved in the pathogenesis, perhaps via the formation of immune complexes and activation of the complement system.
IL-1alpha is a known mediator of inflammation, and its injection into the skin causes persistent erythema. One report noted that the serum from 6 of 9 patients with Schnitzler syndrome contained polyclonal immunoglobulin G (IgG)–type autoantibodies directed against IL-1alpha.6 These autoantibodies have been shown to prolong the half-life of IL-1alpha, to change its tissue distribution, and to enhance its effects. Therefore, this increase in IL-1alpha activity could account for the symptoms of urticaria and fever. In recent years, treatment with the IL-1alpha and IL-1beta receptor antagonist, anakinra, has led to complete remissions.
Elevated levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) have been found in the serum of some patients.7 What role these cytokines play in the pathogenesis of Schnitzler syndrome is not clear.
Differential Diagnoses
Lupus Erythematosus, Acute
Urticarial Vasculitis
Other Problems to Be Considered
Adult-onset Still disease is associated with fever, rash, arthralgias, and/or myalgias. The rash in Still disease is evanescent. The urticarial lesions in Schnitzler syndrome are chronically recurrent. In addition, monoclonal gammopathy does not occur in Still disease.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be associated with urticaria, fever, arthralgia, and an elevated ESR. However, leukopenia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia are seen in SLE, compared with the leukocytosis and thrombocytosis in Schnitzler syndrome. Antinuclear antibodies are present in SLE, but not in Schnitzler syndrome. Monoclonal paraprotein would not be expected in SLE.
Urticarial vasculitis can have features of nonpruritic urticaria, persisting for more than 24 hours; myalgia; arthralgia; fever; an elevated ESR; and an increased white blood cell count. Skin biopsy of urticarial vasculitis shows fibrinoid necrosis of vessels and a perivascular neutrophilic infiltrate. Fibrinoid necrosis is rarely seen with Schnitzler syndrome.
Chronic idiopathic urticaria often responds symptomatically to antihistamines and lacks the accompanying systemic features and paraprotein seen in Schnitzler syndrome.
Cryoglobulinemia shows clinical signs and symptoms at cold temperatures and demonstrates the presence of cryoglobulins.
The cryoprin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS), which include familial cold urticaria, Muckle-Wells syndrome, and chronic infantile neurologic cutaneous articular (CINCA) syndrome, all can have associated fever and rash. Patients with these disorders have onset before adulthood, lack a paraprotein, and have a family history of the disease. Muckle-Wells syndrome is often associated with amyloidosis and deafness. CINCA syndrome may be associated with chronic sterile meningitis and neurological deficits.8
Hyperimmunoglobulin D syndrome shows elevated polyclonal immunoglobulin D levels with onset of recurrent fever, usually in the first year of life.
Delayed pressure urticaria can occasionally be nonpruritic. However, it is not associated with an elevated ESR or an increased white blood cell count, although in severe cases, fever, myalgia, and arthralgias may occur. In addition, anemia is not seen with delayed pressure urticaria.
Waldenström macroglobulinemia shows a lymphoid proliferation in the bone marrow, and the monoclonal IgM gammopathy is found in large amounts, usually more than 10,000 mg/L. Often, it is associated with hepatosplenomegaly. In Schnitzler syndrome, the monoclonal gammopathy is less than that seen in Waldenström macroglobulinemia.
Workup
Laboratory Studies
- All cases are associated with an IgM monoclonal gammopathy, which is demonstrated by serum immunoelectrophoresis. Most cases are of the IgM-kappa isotype. A few cases of IgM-lambda and IgM-kappa/lambda have occurred. The serum IgM levels are usually less than 10 g/L. In 51% of cases, serum protein electrophoresis may not detect the IgM gammopathy because the levels can be very low. A small number of cases have been presented in the literature wherein the patient had clinical features of Schnitzler syndrome but had an associated IgG gammopathy rather than an IgM gammopathy—an IgG variant of Schnitzler syndrome.9,10
- The ESR and C-reactive protein level are elevated in most cases. Leukocytosis (70%), thrombocytosis (20%), and anemia (50%) may also be found.
- Abnormal lymphoid proliferation can be seen in 20% of bone marrow biopsy samples, with nonspecific polyclonal lymphocytic and plasmacytic infiltrates.
Imaging Studies
- Radiologic evaluation shows evidence of hyperostosis in 35% of Schnitzler syndrome patients. Often, the areas of hyperostosis coincide with areas of symptomatic bone pain, such as the iliac bone, tibia, femur, and vertebral columns.
Histologic Findings
A review of the pathology of Schnitzler syndrome shows that the histopathologic findings are not consistent; features in some patients include a superficial dermal and perivascular infiltrate of polymorphonuclear cells, mostly neutrophils, suggestive of neutrophilic urticaria. A small percentage of specimens demonstrate a superficial perivascular mononuclear infiltrate suggestive of chronic urticaria and lymphocytic inflammation. Vessels are intact, and dilatation of dermal lymphatics with mild superficial edema may present.
Rare cases show fibrin deposition, extravasation of erythrocytes, or leukocytoclastic vasculitis.
Deposits of IgM and complement in the upper dermis and/or at the dermoepidermal junction are seen in 45% of cases. Rarely are IgM deposits found within vessel walls.
Treatment
Medical Care
Up until about 2005, the urticarial eruption of Schnitzler syndrome was typically resistant to treatment. No treatment was consistently effective.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, and immunosuppressive agents have been reported to provide variable relief from the symptoms of bone pain and arthralgias associated with Schnitzler syndrome.
Skin and extracutaneous manifestations respond poorly to H1 and H2 antihistamines. Colchicine and dapsone have been tried with variable success in different patients. A few patients were responsive to treatment with thalidomide but the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy limits its use.10,11 Rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, was reported to be effective in one patient12 but unsuccessful in another.13 Reports of using chloroquine, chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, plasmapheresis, and high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin have indicated no response. Psoralen plus UV light (PUVA) may reduce the intensity of the rash in some patients.
NSAIDs have proved to be of some benefit for the bone pain and fever, but not for the urticaria. Systemic steroids may be somewhat effective at controlling the cutaneous eruption, but usually at doses that can cause significant long-term adverse effects.
Pefloxacin mesylate administered at a dose of 800 mg/d may be a therapeutic option. In a case series of 11 patients, it was shown to significantly reduce the intensity and frequency of many of the manifestations in a majority of the group, and it provided a steroid-sparing effect for some patients being treated with systemic corticosteroids.3 It was less active on the osteoarticular component of Schnitzler syndrome.
Anakinra, a recombinant form of the naturally occurring IL-1 receptor antagonist, has emerged as the treatment of choice. Its mechanism of action involves competitive inhibition of binding of IL-1alpha and IL-1beta to the IL-1 receptor type 1. Complete remissions have been reported in at least 10 patients with this therapy at a daily subcutaneous dose of 100 mg.2,10,13,14 Some patients have experienced a recurrence of signs and symptoms within 1 day of stopping treatment; anakinra likely must be given on a continuous basis. Localized painful erythematous injection site reactions have been described with this therapy.
Medication
The goals of pharmacotherapy are to reduce morbidity and to prevent complications.
Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist
Anakinra (Kineret)
Competitively and selectively inhibits IL-1 binding to type I receptor.
Dosing
Adult
100 mg SC qd
Pediatric
Not established
Interactions
None reported; higher rate of serious infections and neutropenia are possible when coadministered with TNF blocking agents (eg, etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab); may decrease response to live virus vaccines
Contraindications
Documented hypersensitivity to product or E coli derived products; active infections
Precautions
Pregnancy
B - Fetal risk not confirmed in studies in humans but has been shown in some studies in animals
Precautions
Serious infections may occur (discontinue treatment if serious infection develops); neutropenia may occur (especially if administered concomitantly with TNF blocking agents); most common adverse effect is local reaction at site of injection; caution if administered to nursing women
Follow-up
Further Outpatient Care
Schnitzler syndrome requires long-term follow-up because of the potential for the development of lymphoproliferative disorders, especially Waldenström macroglobulinemia. Monitoring patients with periodic serum protein electrophoresis and reevaluation for lymphadenopathy and bone marrow involvement, if clinically indicated, is important.
Complications
With Schnitzler syndrome, a lymphoplasmacytic malignancy, such as Waldenström macroglobulinemia, lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, or IgM myeloma, may occur.
Prognosis
No spontaneous complete remissions have been reported. Overall, the prognosis for Schnitzler syndrome is good. However, approximately 10-15% of patients develop a lymphoplasmacytic malignancy.
References
Schnitzler L, Schubert B, Boasson M. Urticaire chronique, lons osseuses, macroglobuline IgM: maladie de Waldenstrom. Bull Soc Franc Derm Syph. 1974;81:363.
de Koning HD, Bodar EJ, van der Meer JW, Simon A,. Schnitzler syndrome: beyond the case reports: review and follow-up of 94 patients with an emphasis on prognosis and treatment. Semin Arthritis Rheum. Dec 2007;37(3):137-48. [Medline].
Asli B, Bievenu B, Cardoliani F, et al. Chronic Urticaria and Monoclonal IgM gammopathy (Schnitzler Syndrome). Report of 11 cases treated with Pefloxacin. Arch Dermatol. 2007;143:1046-1050.
Lipsker D, Veran Y, Grunenberger F, Cribier B, Heid E, Grosshans E. The Schnitzler syndrome. Four new cases and review of the literature. Medicine (Baltimore). Jan 2001;80(1):37-44. [Medline].
Olsen E, Forre O, Lea T, Langeland T. Unique antigenic determinants (idiotypes) used as markers in a patient with macroglobulinemia and urticaria. Similar idiotypes demonstrated in the skin and on peripheral blood lymphocytes. Acta Med Scand. 1980;207(5):379-84. [Medline].
Saurat JH, Schifferli J, Steiger G, Dayer JM, Didierjean L. Anti-interleukin-1 alpha autoantibodies in humans: characterization, isotype distribution, and receptor-binding inhibition--higher frequency in Schnitzler's syndrome (urticaria and macroglobulinemia). J Allergy Clin Immunol. Aug 1991;88(2):244-56. [Medline].
Morita A, Sakakibara S, Yokota M, Tsuji T. A case of urticarial vasculitis associated with macroglobulinemia (Schnitzler's syndrome). J Dermatol. Jan 1995;22(1):32-5. [Medline].
Simon A, van der Meer JWM, Drenth JPH. Familial auto-inflammatory syndromes. In: Harris ED, Budd RC, Firestein GS. Kelley's textbook of Rheumatology. 7th. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2004:Chapter 112 pp1773-88.
Akimoto R, Yoshida M, Matsuda R, Miyasaka K, Itoh M. Schnitzler's syndrome with IgG kappa gammopathy. J Dermatol. Nov 2002;29(11):735-8. [Medline].
de Koning HD, Bodar EJ, Simon A, van der Hilst JC, Netea MG, van der Meer JW. Beneficial response to anakinra and thalidomide in Schnitzler's syndrome. Ann Rheum Dis. Apr 2006;65(4):542-4. [Medline].
Worm M, Kolde G. Schnitzler's syndrome: successful treatment of two patients using thalidomide. Br J Dermatol. Mar 2003;148(3):601-2. [Medline].
Ramadan KM, Eswedi HA, El-Agnaf MR. Schnitzler syndrome: A case report of successful treatment using the anti-CD20 momoclonal antibody rituximab. Br J Dermatol. 2007;156:1072-74.
Eiling E, Moller M, Kreiselmaier I, Brasch J, Schwarz T. Schnitzler syndrome: treatment failure to rituximab but response to anakinra. J Am Acad Dermatol. Aug 2007;57(2):361-4. [Medline].
Martinez-Taboada VM, Fontalba A, Blanco R, Fernandez-Luna JL. Successful treatment of refractory Schnitzler syndrome with anakinra: comment on the article by Hawkins et al. Arthritis Rheum. Jul 2005;52(7):2226-7. [Medline].
Bonnetblanc JM, Drouet M, Laplaud P, Bedane C, Bernard P. Urticaria with macroglobulinaemia. Disease activity associated alterations in immunoglobulins profile and bone marrow hypodiploidy. Dermatologica. 1990;181(1):41-3. [Medline].
Borradori L, Rybojad M, Puissant A, Dallot A, Verola O, Morel P. Urticarial vasculitis associated with a monoclonal IgM gammopathy: Schnitzler's syndrome. Br J Dermatol. Jul 1990;123(1):113-8. [Medline].
Harati A, Brockmeyer NH, Altmeyer P, Kreuter A. Skin disorders in association with monoclonal gammopathies. Eur J Med Res. Mar 29 2005;10(3):93-104. [Medline].
Machet L, Vaillant L, Machet MC, Reisenleiter M, Goupille P, Lorette G. Schnitzler's syndrome (urticaria and macroglobulinemia): evolution to Waldenström's disease is not uncommon. Acta Derm Venereol. Sep 1996;76(5):413. [Medline].
Nashan D, Sunderkotter C, Bonsmann G, Luger T, Goerdt S. Chronic urticaria, arthralgia, raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate and IgG paraproteinaemia: a variant of Schnitzler's syndrome?. Br J Dermatol. Jul 1995;133(1):132-4. [Medline].
Puddu P, Cianchini G, Girardelli CR, Colonna L, Gatti S, de Pita O. Schnitzler's syndrome: report of a new case and a review of the literature. Clin Exp Rheumatol. Jan-Feb 1997;15(1):91-5. [Medline].
Sanmartín O, Febrer I, Botella R, Grau M, de la Cuadra J, Aliaga A. Urticarial lesions and monoclonal IgM gammopathy. Schnitzler's syndrome. Arch Dermatol. Sep 1994;130(9):1195, 1198. [Medline].
Keywords
Schnitzler syndrome, Schnitzler's syndrome, chronic urticaria, nonpruritic urticaria, monoclonal immunoglobulin M gammopathy, monoclonal IgM gammopathy
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author
Joel G DeKoven, MD, FRCPC, Associate Professor, Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and St Michael's Hospital, Canada
Joel G DeKoven, MD, FRCPC is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Contact Dermatitis Society, Canadian Medical Association, and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Coauthor(s)
Kucy Pon, MD, FRCPC, Assistant Professor, Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine
Kucy Pon, MD, FRCPC is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Canadian Medical Association, and Canadian Medical Protective Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Medical Editor
Jean-Hilaire Saurat, MD, Chair, Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Geneva, Switzerland
Jean-Hilaire Saurat, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Dermatological Association, and Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Pharmacy Editor
Michael J Wells, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Michael J Wells, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Managing Editor
Jeffrey Meffert, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology, University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio
Jeffrey Meffert, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, Association of Military Dermatologists, and Texas Dermatological Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
CME Editor
Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE, Medical Director, Clinical Studies Unit, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Associate Scholar, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania
Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE is a member of the following medical societies: Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: AMGEN Consulting fee Consulting; AMGEN Grant/research funds None; Genentech Consulting fee Consulting; Centocor Consulting fee Consulting; Centocor Grant/research funds None; Covance Consulting fee Consulting; Shire Consulting
Chief Editor
Dirk M Elston, MD, Director, Department of Dermatology, Geisinger Medical Center
Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.