Gammapatía monoclonal transitoria: un estudio unicéntrico

Objectives

Some of the monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance are transient monoclonal gammopathies, characterized by the appearance of a small serum paraprotein followed by its disappearance after a variable period of time. The aim of the present study is to examine the transient monoclonal gammopathies in our health area by describing their characteristics, as well as the pathology they presented at the time of the development of the monoclonal gammopathy.

Methods

A retrospective study was undertaken, in which all serum protein electrophoresis patterns performed during a 6-month period (January-2024/June-2024) were reviewed. All these serum protein electrophoresis were processed in the clinical analysis service of the Clinical Universitary Hospital of Santiago de Compostela from primary and secondary care of the Sanitary Area of Santiago de Compostela and Barbanza. Only patients without hematologic pathology who presented a serum protein electrophoresis without monoclonal gammopathy and who had previously presented a serum protein electrophoresis with the presence of monoclonal gammopathy were selected.

Results

A total of 80 transient monoclonal gammopathies were identified, of which 68 had a monoclonal pattern (85%) and 12 had an oligoclonal pattern (15%). We found different diagnoses coinciding with the presence of transient monoclonal gammopathy, among which we can highlight: 35 cases (43.7%) were infectious processes, 20 cases (25%) were autoimmune diseases and 12 cases (15%) were transplant patients.

Conclusions

Clinicians should consider the likelihood of a transient paraprotein to avoid unnecessary investigations and invasive procedures, which are used in case of suspected malignancy or persistent monoclonality.