Macroglobulinemia is the presence of increased levels of macroglobulin

Macroglobulin

A macroglobulin is a plasma globulin of high molecular weight. Elevated levels of macroglobulins may cause manifestations of excess blood viscosity and/or precipitate within blood vessels when temperature drops .Other macroglobulins include alpha-2 macroglobulin, which is...

s in the circulating blood

Blood

Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....

.
A plasma cell dyscrasia

Dyscrasia

Dyscrasia is a concept from ancient Greek medicine with the word "dyskrasia", meaning bad mixture.The concept of dyscrasia was developed by the ancient Greek physician Galen , who elaborated a model of health and disease as a structure of elements, qualities, humors, organs, and temperaments...

 resembling leukemia

Leukemia

Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...

 with cells of lymphocytic, plasmacytic, or intermediate morphology, which secrete an immunoglobulin M

Immunoglobulin M

Immunoglobulin M, or IgM for short, is a basic antibody that is produced by B cells. It is the primary antibody against A and B antigens on red blood cells. IgM is by far the physically largest antibody in the human circulatory system...

 monoclonal component. There is diffuse infiltration of bone marrow and also, in many cases, of the spleen, liver, or lymph nodes. The circulating macroglobulin produces symptoms of hyperviscosity syndrome: weakness, fatigue, bleeding disorders, and visual disturbances. Peak incidence is in the sixth and seventh decades. (Dorland, 28th ed)

See also

• Waldenström macroglobulinemia
  Waldenström macroglobulinemia
  Waldenström's macroglobulinemia is cancer involving a subtype of white blood cells called lymphocytes. The main attributing antibody is Immunoglobulin M . WM is an "indolent lymphoma,"...
  
  
• Hematopoietic ulcer
  Hematopoietic ulcer
  Hematopoietic ulcers are those occurring with sickle cell anemia, Cooley anemia, congenital hemolytic anemia, polycythemia vera, thrombocytopenic purpura, macroglobulinemia, and cryoglobulinemia....