Polyclonal Gammopathies

Excess of any thing is bad, and the same is true for elevated levels of immunoglobulins. The elevated levels of immunoglobulins, i.e. hypergammaglobulinemia could be due to monoclonal gammopathies or polyclonal gammopathies. In fact the polyclonal gammopathy signifies potent immunoglobulin response rather than actually being a disorder. Chronic infections and several chronic diseases affecting the liver and collagen are the cause of polyclonal gammopathies. Once a polyclonal gammopathy is detected, it becomes first and the foremost task to identify the underlying organic disease. Tuberculosis, Osteomyelitis, Syphilis, Chronic Bronchitis, Chronic Fungal infections, Primary Billiary Cirrhosis (PBC), Chronic Active Hepatitis (CAH), infectious hepatitis, Chronic Malaria, Leishmaniasis (Kala Azar), Filariasis, Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Polymyositis, Scleroderma, Metastatic carcinoma, slow healing trauma and Cystic fibrosis have been found to be associated with polyclonal gammopathies.

Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) will show a broad diffuse increase in the gamma globulin region, indicative of a polyclonal gammopathy. The primary cause of the polyclonal gammopathy may be known or should be determined through conventional investigations to decide the line of treatment. The immunoglobulin excess may be resolved through the adequate treatment of underlying disease responsible for polyclonal gammopathy.