Clinical features of patients with monoclonal gammopathy
Authors : Yeşim Mecitoğlu Yağci, Utku Iltar, Hasan Sözel, Turgay Ulaş, Ozan Salim, Sebahat Özdem, Levent Undar
Pages : 7-15
View : 18 | Download : 7
Publication Date : 2021-10-29
Article Type : Research
Abstract :Background In this study, we aimed to demonstrate ordered immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE) testing for distinct indications from different inpatient and outpatient clinics, interrelate the IFE results and patients’ clinical and laboratory characteristics, and classify the confirmed cases of monoclonal gammopathy (MG). Methods We included 4,474 IFE tests conducted between December 2013 and July 2016 in this study. Out of these, the tests of 472 patients with MG were retrospectively evaluated. Results The patients’ median age was 64 years (range, 17–90). Seventy-four percent of the IFEs were ordered by Hematology, 13.1% by the General Internal Medicine Department, 5% by other internal medicine departments, and the rest were ordered by different clinics. Moreover, 59.5% of IFEs were ordered as diagnostic workups for multiple myeloma, 13.3% for lymphoma; 2.5% for polyneuropathy, and 0.4% for amyloidosis. Among the patients with definitive diagnosis and MG, 44.5% had plasma cell diseases and 14.6% had lymphoproliferative diseases. The most common non-hematological condition associated with MG was rheumatic disease. Conclusion Clinicians should be aware of other indications for ordering IFE in diagnostic workups of rare diseases with different clinical presentations, such as unexplained polyneuropathies or autoimmune diseases, which may be associated with MG.Keywords : Monoclonal gammopathy, Immunofixation electrophoresis, Plasma cell disorders, Lymphoma, Rheumatologic disorders