--the previous test results that you posted did include a lot of the standard tests for autoimmune diseases that area vasculitic in nature--that is, that involve the blood vessels and most often some version of the anti-nuclear antibody (ANA)--and apparently none of those came up.

The more recent tests--the SPEP, immunoglobulins--are autoimmune tests, but not vasculitic ANA ones. These are to see if Alan's bone marrow is producing any rogue antibodies of a monoclonal or polyclonal kind; these can cross-react with nerve tissue and cause neuroapthy. The monoclonal kind are more ominous; they are often associated with blood cancers, although two thirds of people with monoclonal antibodies have no evidence of such--then the condition is termed monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). This condition is somewhat more prevalent as people age--about 1% of people over 50 have some sort monocolonal antibody. And a lot of people with MGUS have an associated neuropathy.

Take a look at these:

http://www.neuro.wustl.edu/neuromusc...y/mprotein.htm

http://www.neuropathymd.org/topical/...Gammopathy.pdf

(Second one is written by Dr. Latov.)

I have confidence in Dr. Goldfarb after my talk with her, and I can always help monitor this through Methodist, if you'd like (my friend Dr. Salgado is her colleague, and of course I mentioned you two in my conversation with her). We all want to make sure Alan continues to be able to body-build.