Study of serum protein electrophoresis in suspected cases of Multiple Myeloma.

Introduction: Multiple Myeloma (M.M) is a clonal expansion of plasma cells in the bone marrow that produce abnormal protein called monoclonal gammopathy, which can be detected by the presence of M protein in serum and urine electrophoresis. Material and methods : In present study, total 100 cases were studied in suspected cases of multiple myeloma patients without prior definitive diagnosis, during a period of 2 years from, September 2012 to September 2014 in the department of pathology, M.P shah medical collage Jamnagar. SPEP was performed on Genio electrophoresis machine on cellulose acetate strips by using a readymade buffer (pH 8.6). The clinical history and the bone marrow biopsy reports were correlated in the M band positive cases to differentiate M.M from the other conditions. Results: Out of total 100 cases, 68% of males and 32 % of females. Out 100 cases, 11cases (11%) were found to have monoclonal gammopathy ( the positive M band in SPEP). Among these cases, 10(90.9%) had the M band in the gamma (?) region and 1 cases (9.1%) was in the beta (?) globin region. The percentage of bone marrow myeloma cells in M band positive cases ranged from 19% to 80% The other SPEP patterns which were found were the chronic inflammation , acute inflammation, metastasis , iron deficiency anaemia . Conclusion: Compared to total serum protein, albumin & globulin estimated by bio-chemistry, SPEP shows quantitative analysis of serum protein fractions like albumin, alpha-1, alpha-2, beta, gamma globulin and their graphical representation of pattern shows own diagnostic significance.