title: IgM MGUS associated with anti-MAG neuropathy: a single institution experience.
abstract: Anti-MAG neuropathy is a very rare form of acquired polyneuropathy associated with IgM monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). We conducted a retrospective review of 194 consecutive MGUS patients seen at the Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute. We identified six patients among 37 (16 %) with IgM MGUS with anti-MAG neuropathy. Interestingly, an additional patient had anti-MAG neuropathy without MGUS. Common clinical manifestations were numbness and paresthesias of the extremities and gait imbalance. All four patients treated with rituximab and none of the three untreated ones had a subjective improvement of their symptoms. We conclude that all patients with IgM MGUS and neuropathy should be screened for anti-MAG antibodies and, if positive, they should be offered treatment with rituximab.
authors.affiliation: Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA, gtalamo@hmc.psu.edu.
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Talamo
authors.forename: Muhammad A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mir
authors.forename: Manoj K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.forename: Jeffrey K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sivik
authors.forename: Divisha
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raheja
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008998:Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D015415:Biomarkers; D007075:Immunoglobulin M