The incidence of monoclonal proteins during 7 years of screening in a District General Hospital.
The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of monoclonal proteins, during a 7-year period, in the population served by a typical District General Hospital. 183,300 sera were electrophoresed and 804 monoclonal proteins were detected. Various biochemical prognostic criteria, such as the concentration of monoclonal protein, incidence of Bence-Jones protein and the presence of reduced polyclonal immunoglobulins, were studied in an attempt to assess the benign or malignant nature of the monoclonal protein. In this study, 75% of the patients with monoclonal proteins fulfilled at least one of these criteria, demonstrating the importance of long-term monitoring.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001536:Bence Jones Protein / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D004588:Electrophoresis, Cellulose Acetate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D001536:Bence Jones Protein