Clinical presentation and prognosis of immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis with high percentage of bone marrow plasma cells

Abstract

Objective: To summarize the clinical features and outcomes in Chinese patients with immunoglobulin light-chain (AL) amyloidosis with ≥10% bone marrow plasma cells (BMPCs).

Methods: We retrospectively compared the clinical features and outcomes between patients with ≥10% BMPCs (high-BMPC group; n = 56) and those with <10% BMPCs (low-BMPC group; n = 311).

Results: Patients in the high-BMPC group had significantly higher levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, significantly lower levels of 24 h urine protein, and significantly higher levels of difference between the involved and uninvolved serum free light chains (485.3 versus 121.1 mg/L, P < 0.001). Patients in the high-BMPC group had significantly higher early mortality within 3 months of diagnosis (21.4% versus 10.9%, P = 0.018). In a 3-month landmark analysis, median progression-free survival durations were 17.3 and 34.5 months (P = 0.01), and the median overall survival durations were 24.4 months and not reached in the high- and low-BMPC groups, respectively (P = 0.005).

Conclusion: Patients with AL amyloidosis and ≥10% BMPCs have higher mortality within 3 months of diagnosis and poorer prognosis compared with patients with <10% BMPCs.

Keywords: Bone marrow plasma cells; Light-chain amyloidosis; Outcome.