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Demystifying Biclonal Gammopathy: A Pathologist's Perspective
Sudha Sharma1, Parikshaa Gupta2, Ritu Aggarwal1
1Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Background:
The production of 2 monoclonal proteins characterizes biclonal gammopathic manifestations (BGMs). The available medical literature from India is chiefly restricted to case reports.
Objective:
To study the incidence of BGMs in a tertiary care center in Chandigarh, India, during a 4-year period. We evaluated these cases further for their laboratory characteristics.
Methods:
We scrutinized the contents of a database containing information from the studied 4-year period. Cases reported as BGMs on serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) and confirmed by serum immunofixation electrophoresis (SIFE) were included.
Results:
A total of 15 cases, from a cohort of 914 cases of monoclonal gammopathic manifestations (MGMs), were available. On SPEP, 2 M bands were observed in 12 cases. On SIFE, 4 cases were reported as being of true BGMs. The most common heavy-chain combination observed was immunoglobulin (Ig)A-IgG. Follow-up was available in 2 patients.
Conclusion:
Identification of BGMs increases diagnostic precision, despite that the treatment is similar to that for monoclonal gammopathic manifestations (MGMs). BGMs can be transitory and may be observed at presentation or during the disease course.