[Renal diseases in monoclonal gammopathies]

Monoclonal gammopathies are a group of diseases caused by proliferation of a single clone of plasmocytes - or lymphoplasmacytic cells producing a monoclonal protein. Renal failure occurs in 20-50% of the patients with multiple myeloma, with myeloma cast nephropathy being its major cause. The other mechanisms of kidney injury include hypercalcemia, AL amyloidosis, light chain deposition disease and others. Patients who develop renal impairment have worse survival than those with normal kidney function. This article discusses the pathogenesis, evaluation and therapy of the renal diseases due to monoclonal gammopathies.