Paraprotein Related Neuropathy
 

The only test form me so far to show anything is elevated IgA. At first they thought this might indicate Celiac, but intestinal biopsy was negative.

Now, my neuro is having me do a urine test, to test for Paraprotein Related Neuropathy. It is a test that will show if there is Monoclonal proteins, usually IgM, IgG, or IgA with either kappa or lambda light chains.

I'm anxious to see if this will point out anything for me. I've noticed that some people here have had some paraneoplastic testing done, but I didn't notice if you all had had this kind of test done. It is a immunoelectrophoresis test. Sound familiar to anyone?

Here is a link to a paper that talks about Paraportein Related Neuropathy:

http://www.dcmsonline.org/jax-medici...uropathies.htm

Yes--
 

--an immunofixatin electrophoresis for blood and urine to enumerate immunoglobulin levels and to look for paraproteins/monoclonals, which are rogue antibodies that can cause neuropathy by interacting with the nerve gangliosides, SHOULD be a standrad test for those presenting with neuropathic symptoms.

I say SHOULD because far too many doctors don't think to order it, or order only a serum protein anlysis, which is not specific enough and. while it may reveal large levations in protein overall, cannot analyze small elevations or type.

Take a look at:

http://neuromuscular.wustl.edu/antibody/mprotein.htm

I found this site very interesting:

http://www.lymphomation.org/tests-immunoglobulins.htm

I, too, had an elevated IgA but negative gliadin antibodies which was very exciting until the next test showed a drop to a high normal level.

This is my favorite article addressing neuropathy and monoclonal gammopathy (elevation in one of the immunoglobulins):

http://myeloma.org/ArticlePage.action?articleId=750

Best of luck. I hope you're on to something!

Athena

Very interesting.....
 

Thanks for link, yes I did have the urine & serum test for this. Nadda for me (as usual.) Isn't it odd to be disappointed when something isn't wrong and comes out negative?! I know you all understand though.

Glen
 

I had spep with random urine. Should they do 24 hour urine too. Plus spep was negative but when the immunologist did a special test called Hiss panel, it showed elevated Ige, igg, and iga. Plus subclass ig2.

Now the light chains are not done yet. Does these elevation mean autoimmune disease is probably going on?

Thanks

In the sense of autoimmune disease--
 

--linked to rogue antibodies being produced in the bone marrow and being introduced into the circulatory system, not necessarily.

The type of antibodies associated with blood diseases can be class IgM, IgA, or IgG, but they are generally monocolonal in nature, which is generally only revealed with the more specific immunofixation electrophoresis (IEP) test, generally down along with a quantitative enumeration of antibodies. One can have elevated polyclonal (e.g., more "normal" antibodies that are produced to specific antigens) for a lot of different reasons, including rather standard infections--the monoclonals generally show up only when there is a disease process going on in the bone marrow in which too many of these are produced without a corresponding bodily reason. (They tend to proliferate in blood cancers, for instance.)

They should do a 24-hour urine tests to look for Bence-Jones proteins, and the IEP with immunoglobulin enumeration:

http://neuromuscular.wustl.edu/antibody/mprotein.htm

I've posted that link before, but wanted to also post this one about paraproteins not associated with blood cancers, but with more solid tumors--those are associated with antibodies not produced in the bone marrow, but by the tumors themselves:

http://neuromuscular.wustl.edu/nother/paraneo.htm