title: Effects of plasmapheresis on the plasma concentration of proteins used to monitor the disease process in multiple myeloma.
abstract: We studied the influence of plasmapheresis on the plasma concentrations of proteins (IgG, IgA, beta 2-microglobulin) used for estimation of tumour cell mass in patients with multiple myeloma. Simultaneously, the effects of plasmapheresis on plasma concentrations of proteins (CRP, alpha 1-antitrypsin, haptoglobin) used for the assessment of inflammatory processes were studied. Also, changes in the plasma concentration of protein HC, a recently described protein occurring both as a free protein and as an IgA complex, were studied. The influence of plasmapheresis varied for the different proteins. The plasma levels of IgG, IgA, CRP, alpha 1-antitrypsin, and haptoglobin decreased during plasmapheresis. The simultaneous reduction of the level of protein HC was smaller than that of IgG, IgA and haptoglobin. The plasma concentration of beta 2-microglobulin did not decrease during plasmapheresis. The recovery rates of the proteins were found to be approximately inversely related to their molecular weights.
mesh_terms: D000510:Alpha-Globulins / Q000032:analysis; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D010956:Plasmapheresis
chemical_list: D000510:Alpha-Globulins; D001798:Blood Proteins; C016001:alpha-1-microglobulin