Question

An 82-year-old man complained to his wife of low back pain. This persisted for six months. Upon examination by a physician specialist it was discovered that the pains were more to the lateral sides of the back. The following plasma and urine electrophoresis results were obtained from the laboratory.

a. What will the densitometric pattern look like.(i.e.a graph of the proteins on an x-y axis). describe into details. b. What two simple key tests can you perform in relation to the test results?

Answer 1

ANSWERS:-

a}The densitometric pattern looks like this in normal plasma electrophoresis;

electrophoresis of multiple myeloma .

Plasma and urine electrophoresis is done to diagnose multiple myeloma.

Multiple myelome is a malignant disease of the mature form of B- lymphocytes,the plasma cells.

*The classic presenting symptom of multiple myeloma is bone pain,usually in the back or ribs.

* In myeloma the malignant plasma cells produce an increased amount of a specific immunoglobulin.

* This specific immunoglobulin is detectable in the blood or urine and is known as monoclonal proteins.

*It is measured by serum or urine electrophoresis.

*The test shows unusually high amount of immunoglobulin.

* There is a peak of increase in gamma globulin (gammopathy).

{b} Two simple key tests to confirm multiple myeloma is

* X-Ray of bone-- which shows lytic lesions and osteoporosis.osteoclasts( large multinucleated bone cells which absorbs bone) are also formed .

* Serum calcium reveals hypercalcemia -due to increased bone destruction calcium is released  from bone and enters blood causing hypercalcemia.