Peripheral neuropathy in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance: prevalence and immunopathogenetic studies

Acta Neurol Scand. 1992 Jun;85(6):383-90. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1992.tb06033.x.

Abstract

In an unselected series of patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) we found neuropathy in 2 of 34 patients with IgG (6%), 2 of 14 with IgA (14%), and 8 of 26 with IgM MGUS (31%). The neuropathy was subclinical in 6 patients (1 IgG, 1 IgA, and 4 IgM). Patients with IgG or IgA MGUS had a prominent motor impairment with electrophysiologic and morphologic findings suggestive of predominant axonal degeneration. No deposit of the M-protein in sural nerve and no reactivity of the M-protein with nerve was detected in these patients. Patients with IgM MGUS had a prominent sensory impairment with evidence of predominant demyelination. In 6 of these patients the M-protein reacted with the myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG). The higher prevalence of neuropathy in patients with IgM MGUS may be related to the frequent reactivity of IgM M-proteins with MAG.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Autoimmune Diseases / diagnosis
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology*
  • Blood Proteins / immunology*
  • Demyelinating Diseases / diagnosis
  • Demyelinating Diseases / immunology
  • Electromyography
  • Epitopes / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulins / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myelin Proteins / immunology*
  • Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Paraproteinemias / diagnosis
  • Paraproteinemias / immunology*
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / diagnosis
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / immunology*
  • Synaptic Transmission / physiology

Substances

  • Blood Proteins
  • Epitopes
  • Immunoglobulins
  • M-proteins (Myeloma)
  • Myelin Proteins
  • Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein