Elevated protein gap?

[kaleerkalut]

Hey all,

I had a question. I remember coming across something that an elevated protein gap was indicative of multiple myeloma but I cannot seem to find this info anymore online. Can someone help out?

I remember it was something like: Total Protein - Albumin if >3 or 3.5 is high and this indicates multiple myeloma.

Please help! Thanks.

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[Handinhand]

It's a measure of total protein compared to albumin. The makeup of your protein profile in your serum should be relatively consistent across people (we have normal measures of albumin, gamma globulin,etc...) so you can create an average ratio for this.

In MM, you're going to have an overproduction of antibody/light chain, which is going to increase your total protein content in your serum, while your albumin levels remain the same. I don't believe it's diagnostic of MM, but if you do happen to measure this and it's elevated, you better damn sure work them up for MM.

 

[Instatewaiter]

A gamma gap (Prot-alb) is seen in MM, Hep B, Hep C, HIV and a handful of other things