Serum immunoglobulin types and their levels in patients with proliferative and autoimmune diseases of the hematopoietic system

: The one-direction radial diffusion method has been used in studies of the blood sera from 75 subjects and the kappa and lambda immunoglobulin types levels have been determined. The kappa:lambda (K:L) index was also calculated. The index values in sera of 20 healthy subjects remained in the range from 1.58:1 to 2.14:1 (mean: 1.86:1). The normal index values have been stated in 5/5 sera of patients with bacterial pneumonia. In 12/12 sera from patients with plasma cell myeloma the significant abnormalities of the index values have been noted. Abnormal index values have also been stated in 9/10 patients with acute leukemia, 4/9 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 7/8 patients with lupus erythematosus and 4/4 patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The quantitative determination of particular immunoglobulin types may be useful in the diagnostics of the immunoglobulin types may be useful in the diagnostics of the immunoglobulin monoclonal synthesis. The abnormalities of the K:L index observed in patients with leukemias and autoimmune disease suggest that these diseases are frequently characterized by the monoclonal synthesis of immunoglobulins.