[Transient monoclonal gammopathies. Study of 34 cases].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence of transitory monoclonal gammopathies (MG) defined as a narrow spike in serum electrophoresis disappearing after a variable period of time.


METHODS
A follow up (1986-1992) in all the cases with "minimal" MG (< 10 g/L) to evaluate the transitory or permanent nature of the patients sera was performed along a 7-year period. Serum protein electrophoresis along with immunofixation electrophoresis were performed in order to identify and characterize the monoclonal components in all the cases.


RESULTS
Thirty four out of 592 monoclonal gammopathies (5.7% of the total and 8.6% of the non-myelomatous monoclonal components) fulfilled the criteria of transitory monoclonal gammopathies. There was predominance of adult patients (88.2%), females (64.7%) and subjects over 40 years of age (67.6%). The monoclonal component was small in all the cases (mean 4.5 g/L). After immunochemical characterization, IgG was found in 23 cases and IgM in 9; the light chain was Kappa in 25 and lambda in 7; two patients had 2 or 3 monoclonal components. In 31 of the 34 cases the associated pathology was infectious; this being neoplastic in 2 and hypersensitivity to drugs in the remaining patient. The infectious agents could be identified in 24 instances as mainly gram-negative bacteria.


CONCLUSIONS
1) The appearance of a transitory monoclonal gammopathy is not an unusual finding. 2) This alteration does not have any prognostic significance. 3) The appearance of a small monoclonal component, especially in infectious diseases, should not elicit deeper studies.
Giraldo
P
P
Servicio Regional de Hematología y Hemoterapia, Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España.
Rubio-Félix
D
D
Delgado
P
P
Giralt
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
Gammapatías monoclonales transitorias. Estudio de 34 casos.