title: Immunoglobulin M concentration in Waldenström macroglobulinemia: correlation with bone marrow B cells and plasma cells.
abstract: Serum immunoglobulin (Ig) M levels vary considerably among patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia, and previous studies have failed to demonstrate a correlation with overall bone marrow disease burden. In this study, bone marrow B cells and plasma cells were enumerated by flow cytometry and correlated with serum IgM concentrations. Monotypic B cells comprised a median of 6% of bone marrow leukocytes but did not correlate with IgM levels (r = 0.071, P = .5). Plasma cells, although typically present in lower numbers (median, 0.52%) did show a correlation with IgM (r = 0.452, P = .01). IgM levels in Waldenström macroglobulinemia, at least in part, correlate with the degree of plasma cell differentiation seen within the tumor.
authors.affiliation: HMDS Laboratory, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Ruth M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Tute
authors.forename: Andy C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Rawstron
authors.forename: Roger G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Owen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008258:Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007075:Immunoglobulin M