Strengths and weaknesses of methods for identifying monoclonal free light chains of Ig: examples from two cases with renal disease

BACKGROUND

Serum free light chain (FLC) analysis with ratio and urine immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE) are both available for routine use in helping to detect plasma cell dyscrasia and related diseases.

CASES

Case reports showing one serum positive for serum FLC but that showed a hook effect and overestimated the amount of monoclonal FLC while urine IFE was negative for Bence Jones protein, and a second serum that showed elevated FLC κ and λ but a normal κ/λ ratio, while urine IFE was positive for Bence Jones protein.

CONCLUSIONS

These two techniques complement one another. Neither of the techniques is truly quantitative, and both exhibit methodological defects.

[Urinary methylmalonic acid excretion and clinical features in megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency]

Urinary methylmalonic acid (MMA) excretion in megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B12 (B12) deficiency was studied using a colorimetric method. Average MMA excretion in 20 patients with untreated B12 deficiency was 164 mg/day, whereas it increased to 518 mg/day following oral administration of 10 g L-valine. Urinary MMA correlated significantly with platelet number, erythroblast percentage and deoxyuridine suppression test, while no correlation was found with hemoglobin, leukocyte number, reticulocyte, serum LDH, serum B12 and folate concentration. Patients with neurological disturbances excreted significantly larger amounts of MMA than those without neurological disorders. The results also indicated that MMA could be a useful adjunct for differentiation of megaloblastic anemia from myelodysplastic syndromes showing marked megaloblastic changes.

Value of estimating methylamalonic acid excretion in anaemia

A rapid technique suitable for routine pathology laboratories has been used to estimate methylmalonic acid excretion in a 24-hour urine collection following a 10g. valine load. Levels above 40 mg./24 hours were found only in patients with vitamin B(12) deficiency. Patients with pernicious anaemia treated more than 24 hours before urine collection and patients with other types of anaemia had methylmalonic acid levels below 25 mg./24 hours.This method of demonstrating vitamin B(12) deficiency can be applied rapidly in debilitated patients so that specific treatment can be instituted within 36 hours of admission.