Monday 18 October 2010

MRCP revision battle 33.4: MGUS

MGUS stands for monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.
As the name suggests, it is a low-level paraproteinaemia of unknown relevance.

It is common, affecting around 3% of those over 70 yrs of age.


For MGUS to be diagnosed the following diagnostic criteria must be met:
  1. low level paraprotein (<30g/l)
  2. less than 10% plasma cells on BM
  3. no clinical evidence of myeloma.


Around 10% have myeloma at 5yrs so management tends to be yearly observation.


On to amyloidosis...