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Published on: April 15, 2022
Serum separation abnormality in a multiple myeloma patient
M R Zaharudin1, S C Thambiah2, I N Samsudin1
1Universiti Putra Malaysia, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Department of Pathology, 43400 Serdang, Malaysia.
Introduction:
M-protein secreted by myeloma cells do not only contribute to myeloma-related complications but is also a well-recognised source of interference in laboratory assays. We describe a case of a 62-year-old woman whose blood sample showed improper serum separation even after resampling.
Case Report:
Centrifugation of a biochemistry specimen in a serum-separator tube received by the laboratory failed to separate any serum, nor did repeating the process at a longer duration. Repeat sampling only yielded a small volume of serum from which highly elevated total protein was noted upon analysis. Additional history from the treating clinician unveiled a diagnosis of multiple myeloma in this patient.
Discussion:
This case represents one of the rare, but significant pre-analytical interferences caused by M-proteins.
