scholarly journals Comparison of lambda and kappa light-chain cardiac amyloidosis in Polish patients diagnosed in cardiology department

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
J.A Szczygiel ◽  
P Michalek ◽  
J Drozd-Sokolowska ◽  
M Ziarkiewicz ◽  
Z.T Bilinska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Light Chain ◽  
Cardiac Amyloidosis ◽  
Light Chains ◽  
Al Amyloidosis ◽  
Free Light Chains ◽  
Lambda Light Chain ◽  
Serum Free ◽  
Kaplan Meier ◽  
Cardiology Department ◽  
Serum Free Light Chains

Abstract Background Lambda (λ) and kappa (κ) types of light-chain amyloidosis (AL amyloidosis) are believed to have a similar prognosis. Data on the comparison of these two types of cardiac amyloidosis is scanty. Objectives The aim of the study was to investigate wether lambda light-chain cardiac amyloidosis indicates worse prognosis than the kappa variety. Methods The initial analysis covered all consecutive pts with cardiac AL amyloidosis diagnosed in the cardiology department from August 2011 to August 2019. Diagnosis was confirmed by increased serum free light-chains and positive tissue biopsy. Amyloid type was identified using immunohistochemical reactions. Blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were measured on admission. The difference between involved and uninvolved serum free light chains (dFLC), NT-proBNP, high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT), creatinine, potassium, albumin and total protein were measured. During echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging was used to assess early lateral (e' lat) and septal mitral annulus velocities and longitudinal myocardial velocities of ventricles. Standard parameters were measured. The presence of pleural effusion was assessed in chest X-ray. Results Sixty-four pts were diagnosed with AL amyloidosis. Four pts were excluded from the final analysis due to ambiguous amyloid typing. Median (interquartile range, IQR) age was 61 (52–67) yrs. Median (IQR) dFLC was 19.9 (5.5–50.6) mg/dL. Median NT-proBNP and hs-TnT concentrations were 4948 (2251–10206) pg/ml and 77 (39–139) ng/l, respectively. Forty-four pts had a λ type AL amyloidosis (73.3%). There were significant differences (p<0.05) between the λ and the κ groups in regard to: HR (80 vs. 73.5 BPM), systolic blood pressure (102 vs. 117 mmHg), serum creatinine (88 vs. 116 umol/L) and potassium (4.4 vs. 4.9 mmol/L), e' lat (5 vs. 7.5 cm/sec), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD, 42 vs. 46 mm), right ventricular end-diastolic diameter (RVEDD, 35 vs. 40 mm) and right ventricular wall thickness (8 vs. 6 mm). Pleural and pericardial effusions were more frequent in the λ group (59% vs. 19% and 80% vs. 44%, respectively) according to Fisher's exact test (p<0.05). Median (IQR) survivals for the λ and the κ groups were 3 (2–9) and 16 (5.5–22) months, respectively (p=0.03). The Kaplan-Meier curves analysis showed a trend towards worse survival of the λ group (Log rank test, p=0.08). Conclusions Cardiologists should be aware that lambda light-chain cardiac amyloidosis may indicate shorter survival than the kappa variety, although kappa AL amyloidosis may be associated with worse kidney function. Further research would be worth considering. Kaplan-Meier curves, Time (months) Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Institute of Cardiology

Measurement of Serum Free Light Chains in AL Amyloidosis

2004 ◽  
pp. 154-156
Author(s):  
H.D. Carr-Smith ◽  
R. Abraham ◽  
G.P. Mead ◽  
H. Goodman ◽  
P. Hawkins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Light Chains ◽  
Al Amyloidosis ◽  
Free Light Chains ◽  
Serum Free ◽  
Serum Free Light Chains

Quantification by Ultrafiltration and Immunofixation Electrophoresis Testing for Monoclonal Serum Free Light Chains

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 592-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gurmukh Singh ◽  
Roni Bollag
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Cell ◽  
Light Chain ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Light Chains ◽  
Total Serum ◽  
Reliable Estimate ◽  
Free Light Chains ◽  
Serum Free ◽  
Immunofixation Electrophoresis ◽  
Serum Free Light Chains

Abstract Objective Measurement of monoclonal immunoglobulins is a reliable estimate of the plasma cell tumor mass. About 15% of plasma cell myelomas secrete light chains only. The concentration of serum free light chains is insufficient evidence of the monoclonal light chain burden. A sensitive quantitative estimate of serum free monoclonal light chains could be useful for monitoring patients with light chain myeloma. We describe such an assay that does not require mass-spectrometry equipment or expertise. Methods Serum specimens from patients with known light chain myelomas and controls were subjected to ultrafiltration through a membrane with pore size of 50 kDa. The filtrate was concentrated and tested by immunofixation electrophoresis. The relative area under the monoclonal peak, compared to that of the total involved light chain composition, was estimated by densitometric scanning of immunofixation gels. The proportion of the area occupied by the monoclonal peak in representative densitometric scans was used to arrive at the total serum concentration of the monoclonal serum free light chains. Results Using an ultracentrifugation and concentration process, monoclonal serum free light chains were detectable, along with polyclonal light chains, in all 10 patients with active light chain myelomas. Monoclonal light chains were identified in serum specimens that did not reveal monoclonal light chains by conventional immunofixation electrophoresis. The limit of detection by this method was 1.0 mg/L of monoclonal serum free light chains. Conclusion The method described here is simple enough to be implemented in academic medical center clinical laboratories and does not require special reagents, equipment, or expertise. Even though urine examination is the preferred method for the diagnosis of light chain plasma cell myelomas, measurement of the concentration of serum free light chains provides a convenient, albeit inadequate, way to monitor the course of disease. The method described here allows effective electrophoretic differentiation of monoclonal serum free light chain from polyclonal serum free light chains and provides a quantitation of the monoclonal serum free light chains in monitoring light chain monoclonal gammopathies.

Free light chain testing for the diagnosis, monitoring and prognostication of AL amyloidosis

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Mollee ◽  
Giampaolo Merlini
Keyword(s):  
Light Chain ◽  
Free Light Chain ◽  
Al Amyloidosis ◽  
Major Advance ◽  
Free Light Chains ◽  
Monoclonal Immunoglobulin ◽  
Serum Free ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Serum Free Light Chain ◽  
Serum Free Light Chains

AbstractThe disease causing agent in systemic AL amyloidosis is a monoclonal immunoglobulin free light chain, or fragments thereof, circulating in the blood. It is not surprising, therefore, that measurement of serum free light chains plays a central role in the management of this disorder. In this paper, we review the utility of the serum free light chain assay in the investigation, prognostication and monitoring of AL amyloidosis. Data on the two currently available commercial assays is compared and some practical applications of the assay’s use are presented. While there are limitations, it is clear that the availability of the free light chain assay in the laboratory is a major advance and plays an essential role in the management of patients with AL amyloidosis.

In Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Ibrutinib Effectively Reduces Clonal IgM Paraproteins and Serum Free Light Chains While Increasing Normal IgM, IgA Serum Levels, Suggesting a Nascent Recovery Of Humoral Immunity

Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 122 (21) ◽  
pp. 4182-4182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georg Aue ◽  
Mohammed Farooqui ◽  
Jade Jones ◽  
Janet Valdez ◽  
Sabrina E. Martyr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
B Cell ◽  
Light Chain ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Light Chains ◽  
Free Light Chains ◽  
Serum Free ◽  
Serum Free Light Chain ◽  
Upper Limit ◽  
Serum Free Light Chains ◽  
Pre Treatment

Abstract Introduction The Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib induces objective clinical responses in the majority of CLL patients (Byrd et al., NEJM 2013). Ibrutinib covalently binds to BTK and with once daily dosing (420 mg, PO) results in > 90% inhibition of kinase activity. Germline inactivating mutations in BTK lead to an immunodeficiency syndrome first described by the pediatrician Dr. Bruton in boys suffering from recurrent bacterial infections. These kids, diagnosed with what is now known as Bruton’s agammaglobulinemia, have a severe defect in B cell maturation resulting in the virtual absence of immunoglobulins. Hypogammaglobulinemia is a common complication of CLL and likely is a significant contributor to the increased rate of infections that are a leading cause of death in CLL. Thus, to what degree ibrutinib affects normal B cell function and immunoglobulin levels may in part determine the safety profile of continuous treatment with this agent. Patients and Methods Here we present data from a phase II trial (NCT01500733) of ibrutinib 420 mg daily on 28 day cycles for relapsed/refractory (RR) and treatment naïve (TN) CLL/SLL patients (pts). Serum immune globulins (IgG, IgM, IgA), serum free light chains, and immunofixation electrophoresis were obtained at baseline, and every 6 months thereafter. For statistical analysis of pre-treatment to on-treatment measurements the paired Student t-test was used. Results Here we report on 25 patients (10 TN, 15 RR) who completed >12 months on ibrutinib and never received immunoglobulin replacement therapy. By 6 and 12 months, there was a non-statistically significant trend toward decreased IgG levels (ref. range 642-1730) from a pre-treatment median of 601 to 587 mg/dL (at 6 months) and 495 mg/dL (at 12 months; P = 0.14). In contrast, median serum IgA (ref. range 91-499) rose from 42 (baseline) to 58 (at 6 mo) to 61 mg/dL by 12 months (P< 0.005). Three patients had a clonal IgM on electrophoresis, which decreased with treatment. In the remaining 22 patients IgM (ref. range 34-342) rose from 16 (baseline) to 25 (6 months) to 23 mg/dL by 12 months (P<0.01). TN patients had higher IgA and IgM levels at baseline and achieved the higher absolute increase by 12 months. However, the relative rate of increase from baseline was similar for both groups, suggesting that ibrutinib enables a recovery of IgA and IgM levels equally in both TN and RR patients. In 20 patients serum free light chain measurements were available, with an abnormal pre-treatment kappa/lambda ratio in 17. In 11 patients the CLL cells were kappa clonal by flow cytometry and in 9 they were lambda clonal. Eight of 11 pts with a kappa CLL clone had kappa serum free light chain (KSFLC, ref. range 0.57 – 2.22 mg/dL) levels > upper limit of normal (median 5.7 mg/dl). At 6 and 12 months there was a 76% and 72% reduction of the KSFLC (P< 0.01), and in 7 pts the level normalized by 6 months. In contrast, prior to therapy the lambda serum free light chains (LSFLC, ref. range 0.66-2.32 mg/dL) were low (median 0.62 mg/dL) in these patients and increased by 68% (P<0.005) to normal levels by 6 months in all of them. Conversely, 8 of 9 patients with lambda clonal CLL by flow cytometry had LSFLC > upper limit of normal (median 8.4 mg/dL), which decreased on ibrutinib by > 80% (P< 0.03) and normalized in 88% of pts by 12 months. The KSFLC in most of these patients was in the low normal range and only increased by 19% from baseline by 12 months. Thus, ibrutinib effectively reduces the clonal light chain, a correlate of tumor control, while the non-clonal light chains, presumably in part reflecting normal B-cells, are low pre-treatment and increase during treatment. Conclusion Consistent with other reports we see little change in IgG levels in the first 12 months. Importantly, ibrutinib leads to a significant increase in both IgA and IgM serum levels, suggesting a beginning recovery of humoral immunity. The reduction of clonal light chains, a tumor marker, correlates with clinical response. In contrast, the increasing levels of the non-clonal light chain may herald a recovery of the normal B-cell (and possibly plasma cell compartment) raising the possibility that ibrutinib may selectively target CLL cells while allowing the re-growth of normal B-cells. We are currently investigating this further. Supported by the Intramural Research Program of NHLBI. We thank our patients for participating and acknowledge Pharmacyclics for providing study drug. Disclosures: Off Label Use: Ibrutinib not FDA approved for CLL.

Clinical presentation and outcomes in light chain amyloidosis patients with non-evaluable serum free light chains

Leukemia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 729-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Sidana ◽  
N Tandon ◽  
A Dispenzieri ◽  
M A Gertz ◽  
F K Buadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Light Chain ◽  
Clinical Presentation ◽  
Light Chains ◽  
Free Light Chains ◽  
Serum Free ◽  
Light Chain Amyloidosis ◽  
Serum Free Light Chains

scholarly journals Treatment of Light Chain Deposition Disease Using Bortezomib-Based Regimen Followed by Thalidomide-Based Regimen in a Saudi Male

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bappa Adamu ◽  
Mushabab Al-Ghamdi ◽  
Mustafa Ahmad ◽  
Khaled O. Alsaad
Keyword(s):  
Light Chain ◽  
Light Chains ◽  
Cell Transplant ◽  
Free Light Chains ◽  
Light Chain Deposition Disease ◽  
Serum Free ◽  
Deposition Disease ◽  
Serum Free Light Chains ◽  
Light Chain Deposition ◽  
Saudi Male

Light chain deposition disease (LCDD) is a rare illness with, as yet, no clear evidence-based guidelines for its treatment. To the best of our knowledge, LCDD has not been previously reported from Saudi Arabia. We present in this report, a 38-year-old Saudi male who presented with clinical features suggestive of hypertensive nephropathy but kidney biopsy later revealed the diagnosis of LCDD. His serum creatinine at presentation was 297 μmol/L which came down to 194 μmol/L on treatment with Bortezomib, Cyclophosphamide and Dexamethasone. His 24-hour protein excretion at presentation was 6 g/L which also came down to less than 1 g/day. He was later placed on Cyclophosphamide, Thalidomide, and Dexamethasone regimen because of persistent high titres of serum free light chains. He went into remission with undetectable serum free light chains and remained so for three years at the time of writing this report. We conclude that LCDD, though rare, does occur in Saudi population. The treatment of LCDD is challenging but the use of Bortezomib, a proteosome inhibitor, is promising. However, suboptimal response may require further treatment with other therapeutic options such as chemotherapy with alkylating agents or high-dose Melphalan with autologous stem cell transplant.

scholarly journals Serum Free Light Chains: An Alternative to the Urine Bence Jones Proteins Screening Test for Monoclonal Gammopathies

2006 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 1743-1748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter G Hill ◽  
Julia M Forsyth ◽  
Baldeep Rai ◽  
Stewart Mayne
Keyword(s):  
Light Chain ◽  
False Positive ◽  
False Positive Rate ◽  
Light Chains ◽  
Free Light Chains ◽  
Serum Free ◽  
Monoclonal Gammopathies ◽  
Positive Serum ◽  
Positive Rate ◽  
Serum Free Light Chains

Abstract Background: Retrospective analyses have established the role of quantitative serum free light chains (FLCs) in the diagnosis of monoclonal light chain disorders. The aims of this study were to assess (a) whether the addition of serum FLCs to serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) identified additional patients with monoclonal gammopathies; (b) whether serum FLC measurements could replace urinalysis for Bence Jones protein (BJP); and (c) the cost/quality implications of routinely measuring serum FLCs. Methods: Serum FLCs were added to consecutive requests for SPEP from August to November 2004 and measured by automated immunoassay. Results: Seventy-one of 923 patients had abnormal serum FLC ratios. Seven patients with monoclonal gammopathies and 1 patient with malignant lymphoma (but no monoclonal band) were detected among 43 patients with negative SPEP but positive serum FLC ratios. Thirty-five patients with negative SPEP had false-positive serum FLC ratios. The false-positive rate for a ratio &gt;1.65 was higher than previously described and associated with polyclonal increases in immunoglobulins and renal impairment. Serum FLC ratios were normal in 2 of 13 patients with low-level persistent urine BJP. However, no significant pathology would have been missed by replacing BJP with serum FLCs. Revenue and manpower savings offset 60% of the costs of serum FLCs. Conclusions: Additional diagnostic information is gained by adding serum FLCs to SPEP as first-line tests for investigating possible B-cell disorders. The quality of the diagnostic service is enhanced by more confident exclusion of light chain disorders and improved interpretive assessment of SPEP and immunofixation electrophoresis.

Serum and Urine Protein Electrophoresis and Serum-Free Light Chain Assays in the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Monoclonal Gammopathies

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 1358-1371
Author(s):  
Gurmukh Singh
Keyword(s):  
Light Chain ◽  
Protein Electrophoresis ◽  
Free Light Chain ◽  
Light Chains ◽  
Free Light Chains ◽  
Urine Protein ◽  
Serum Free ◽  
Monoclonal Gammopathies ◽  
Serum Free Light Chain ◽  
Serum Free Light Chains

Abstract Background Laboratory methods for diagnosis and monitoring of monoclonal gammopathies have evolved to include serum and urine protein electrophoresis, immunofixation electrophoresis, capillary zone electrophoresis, and immunosubtraction, serum-free light chain assay, mass spectrometry, and newly described QUIET. Content This review presents a critical appraisal of the test methods and reporting practices for the findings generated by the tests for monoclonal gammopathies. Recommendations for desirable practices to optimize test selection and provide value-added reports are presented. The shortcomings of the serum-free light chain assay are highlighted, and new assays for measuring monoclonal serum free light chains are addressed. Summary The various assays for screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of monoclonal gammopathies should be used in an algorithmic approach to avoid unnecessary testing. Reporting of the test results should be tailored to the clinical context of each individual patient to add value. Caution is urged in the interpretation of results of serum-free light chain assay, kappa/lambda ratio, and myeloma defining conditions. The distortions in serum-free light chain assay and development of oligoclonal bands in patients‘ status post hematopoietic stem cell transplants is emphasized and the need to note the location of original monoclonal Ig is stressed. The need for developing criteria that consider the differences in the biology of kappa and lambda light chain associated lesions is stressed. A new method of measuring monoclonal serum-free light chains is introduced. Reference is also made to a newly defined entity of light chain predominant intact immunoglobulin monoclonal gammopathy. The utility of urine testing in the diagnosis and monitoring of light chain only lesions is emphasized.

scholarly journals Serum free light chains, not urine specimens, should be used to evaluate response in light-chain multiple myeloma

Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (25) ◽  
pp. 2941-2948 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Dejoie ◽  
Jill Corre ◽  
Helene Caillon ◽  
Cyrille Hulin ◽  
Aurore Perrot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Myeloma ◽  
Light Chain ◽  
Sensitive Indicator ◽  
Light Chains ◽  
Free Light Chains ◽  
Prognostic Information ◽  
Serum Free ◽  
Key Points ◽  
Serum Free Light Chains ◽  
Urine Specimens

Key PointsSerum FLC analysis is a more sensitive indicator of disease than urinalysis. Improved sensitivity of serum over urine measurements during monitoring translates into valuable prognostic information.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document