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.83 ht 1 Abbreviations: IgG, immunoglobulin G; IgRT, immunoglobulin replacement therapy; IQR, interquartile range. We demonstrate that, in previously stable patients, IgRT dose reductions lead to a reduction in trough IgG, which is associated with an increased frequency of infections requiring outpatient antibiotic use. [Extracted from the article]

Summary: Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) affects 3·2% of adults aged >50 years. MGUS carries a life‐long risk of progression to multiple myeloma and causes complications including infection and renal impairment; common causes of hospital admission. This study aimed to assess MGUS prevalence in emergency medical hospital admissions. Patients were recruited from unselected emergency medical admissions in a hospital in the United Kingdom. Serum protein electrophoresis was performed, with immunofixation of abnormal results. Reason for admission and routine test results were recorded. After education about MGUS and myeloma, patients chose whether they wished to be informed of new diagnoses. A total of 660 patients were tested and 35 had a paraprotein suggestive of MGUS. The overall rate of MGUS was 5·3%. MGUS prevalence in those aged >50 years was 6·94%, higher than the previously published rate of 3·2% (P < 0·0005). There were higher rates in those with chronic kidney disease (13·75% vs. 4·14%, P = 0·002), heart failure (14% vs. 4·59%, P = 0·012), anaemia (8·96% vs. 3·41%, P = 0·003) or leucocytosis (9·33% vs. 3·04%, P = 0·002). In all, 96% of patients wished to be informed of their screening results. The prevalence of MGUS in emergency hospital admissions is higher than expected based on previous population‐based rates. This may suggest a selected population for screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a research related to presence of poor functional antibody responses in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Topics discussed include high risks of CLL due to development of secondary immunodeficiency, use of total immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration as an indicator of antibody deficiency, and suggestion towards enhanced vaccine regimens and prophylactic antibiotics to reduce mortality of infection in CLL.