Prevalence of MGUS in acute hospital admissions, version 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Prevalence of monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance in acute hospital admissions
IRAS ID
197787
Contact name
Alex Richter
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 1 months, 3 days
Research summary
The aim of this study is to assess what percentage of people admitted to hospital have an abnormal level of immunoglobulins (antibodies) detectable on blood tests. In Monoclonal Gammopathy of Uncertain Significance, also known as MGUS, one type of antibody is overproduced. MGUS occurs in 3% of people over 50 years old but rates increase as people get older. A small number of patients (1 in 100 patients) with MGUS go on to develop myeloma which is a blood cancer caused by a similar overproduction of antibody.
Previous research has shown that people with MGUS are more likely to have several complications, such as infections, fractures and osteoporosis but we don’t routinely monitor for these complications. Infection is one of the most common causes of hospital admission, and as those with MGUS are predisposed to infection, it may be expected that higher rates are found in hospital admissions.
This study will consent and test 3000 patients, who are acutely admitted to medicine, for MGUS on surplus sample from routine blood tests. This rate of MGUS will be compared to previously known rates in the general public. If we find this group are more likely to have MGUS, then this may identify a high risk group that need testing in future to reduce the risk of complications.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/WM/0279
Date of REC Opinion
1 Aug 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion