Immuneabnormalities inmyelodysplastic syndromes

direct Coombstest, andtests fororganandnon-organspecific antibodies were performed. Twentysix patients hadimmunoglobulin abnormalities: six(11.5%)hadmonoclonal gammopathy; 17 (32.6%) hadpolyclonal increases inserum immunoglobulin; whileinthree (5-8%)immunoglobulin concentrations were decreased. Thedistribution ofimmunoglobulin abnormalities among thefive myelodysplastic syndrome subtypes was fairly uniform. Results ofdirect Coombs test were negative inall cases.Organspecific antibodies were notdetected inany ofthepatients tested, although twopatients were foundpositive forantinuclear antibodies. Thepresence of immunoglobulin abnormalities indicates an involvement ofthelymphoplasmatic systemin myelodysplastic syndromes.