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Detection of monoclonal plasma cells in the peripheral blood of patients with primary amyloidosis
Author(s) -
MCElroy, JR Edwin A.,
Witzig Thomas E.,
Gertz Morie A.,
Greipp Philip R.,
Kyle Robert A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.1998.00583.x
Subject(s) - monoclonal antibody , monoclonal , al amyloidosis , medicine , amyloidosis , immunofluorescence , peripheral blood , pathology , immunology , antibody , immunoglobulin light chain
We evaluated the blood from 150 patients with primary AL‐amyloidosis for circulating monoclonal plasma cells using a sensitive slide‐based immunofluorescence technique. The percentage of monoclonal blood plasma cells (BPC) that were in S‐phase was determined by the bromodeoxyuridine labelling index (BLI). Monoclonal BPC were detected in 16% (24/150) of patients. The median number of monoclonal BPC was 1 × 10 6 /l and 4.6% (7/150) of patients had a high number. The BLI was zero in all but three patients. This study demonstrates that monoclonal plasma cells circulate in the peripheral blood of patients with AL‐amyloidosis.