what is paraproteinaemia?

Answer 1

Paraproteinemia is a term used to describe the presence of abnormal proteins ("paraproteins") in the blood associated with plasma cell dyscrasias.

Plasma cell dyscrasias are a diverse group of neoplastic diseases involving proliferation of a single clone of cells producing a serum M component (a monoclonal immunoglobulin or immunoglobulin fragment); the cells usually have plasma cell morphology, but may have lymphocyte morphology or a combination of lymphocytic and plasma cellular. The group includes multiple myeloma, Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, the heavy chain diseases, benign monoclonal gammopathy, and immunocytic amyloidosis. Called also dysproteinemias, monoclonal gammopathies or immunoglobulinopathies, and paraproteinemias.

Answer 2

Paraproteinemia is the presence of a monoclonal gammopathy in the blood.

Answer 3

Paraproteinaemia
A group of related diseases characterized by an unbalanced or disproportionate proliferation of immunoglobulin-producing cells, usually from a single clone. These cells frequently secrete a structurally homogeneous immunoglobulin (M-component) and/or an abnormal immunoglobulin.
Epidemiology
Causes Include1:
Artefacts
Heparinised blood sample
Benign
Benign monoclonal gammopathy: Patients are often elderly and in good health. Some patients progress to multiple myeloma or lymphoma. No management is indicated. However follow-up must be continued indefinitely because multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, macroglobulinemia or related disorders occur in approximately 25% of patients2.
Haematological
Cold aggluttin disease: IgM paraprotein
Paroxysmal cold haemoglobinuria: Donald-Landsteiner antibody
Warm antibody haemolytic anaemia
Malignant neoplastic conditions
Heavy chain diseases: There are 3 variants - gamma, alpha and mu heavy chain disease. The alpha variant is most common, occurring particularly in people from the Mediterranean and Middle East. Often present with weakness, fatigue and fever.
Waldenstrom macroglobulinaemia: Clinically similar to multiple myeloma, lymphoma and chronic lymphatic leukaemia. Often presents with non-specific weakness and fatigue but any system can be involved. Diagnosis is by serum electrophoresis and bone marrow aspiration. treatment of symptomatic patients includes chemotherapy and supportive therapy aimed at the correction of anaemia and hyperviscosity.
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Myeloma
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Miscellaneous syndromes
Schnitzler syndrome
POEMS syndrome
Presentation
May be discovered incidentally.
Often non-specific with fever, malaise, bone pain.
Investigations The differentiation of benign paraproteinaemia from neoplastic states is based on the absence of bone marrow disease, a relatively low and constant concentration of serum paraprotein, the absence of urine light chain excretion and normal levels of other serum immunoglobulins.
Serum protein electrophoresis showing M-protein3: Total protein and protein electrophoresis with paraprotein quantifation, paraprotein typing, immunoglobulins G, A, M; beta-2-microglobulin. Full blood count, blood film, ESR: underlying cause, e.g. hypercalcaemia, high total protein, and high ESR in patients with myeloma. Urine protein, Bence Jones protein. Bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy.
Management
Management will depend on the underlying cause.
Prognosis
Will depend on the undelying cause but prognosis is often poor.
However in patients with benign monoclonal gammopathy, patients are asymptomatic and there is no evidence of impairment of antibody response or bone marrow function.

Answer 4

Try breaking it down into 'sections' ... para ... protein ... aemia. Since 'aemia' means 'a shortage of' and 'para' I don't know about, I'll say that 'paraproteinaemia' is a 'shortage of 'paraproteins' in a person's system. Now all you have to do is find out what a 'paraprotein' is ...

Answer 5

The presence of abnormal proteins in the blood.

Answer 6

paraproteinaemia is the presence of a monoclonal gammopathy in the blood. this means that there are protein antibodies that are identical in your blood.