How lab staff and the estimation of free light chains can combine to aid the diagnosis of light chain disease.
The diagnosis and monitoring of free light chain abnormalities and disease has always been a challenging area for laboratory and clinical staff because urine electrophoresis is often overlooked in the investigations requested. We present here three case reports which illustrate first, the role of the laboratory staff and second, the use of serum free light chain estimations in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with light chain paraproteinaemia and myeloma.
Sinclair
David
D
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, United Kingdom. david.sinclair@porthosp.nhs.uk
Wainwright
Laura
L
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001536:Bence Jones Protein / Q000652:urine; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000652:urine; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D017056:Medical Laboratory Personnel; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000150:complications*; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology
D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D001536:Bence Jones Protein