Unusual manifestation of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance: a false serum creatinine elevation

A 72-year-old Japanese man with diabetes mellitus and hypertension presented with an acutely elevated serum creatinine level, from 1.02 to 4.13 mg/dL over 2 months as measured by the enzymatic method by pure-auto S CRE-N(®). Renal biopsy could not identify the etiology of the elevating sCr. However, an elevated total protein level (8.2 g/dL) and lowering of the BUN and sCr ratio from 14.5 to 2.7 were found, and bone marrow biopsy showed less than 10% lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, compatible with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. The diagnosis of a false serum creatinine elevation due to monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance was confirmed with the serum cystatin C level at 1.05 mg/dL and the creatinine level of 0.97 mg/dL using Shikarikid-S CRE(®) method. Although cases of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance with a false serum creatinine elevation as an initial presentation are rare, this condition should be considered in patients with paraproteinemia; measuring the renal function using cystatin C is important in such patients.