Member area login

You don't have or don't remember the password!
Click Here

Editor-in-chief
Maria Stella Graziani

Deputy Director
Martina Zaninotto

Associate Editors
Ferruccio Ceriotti
Davide Giavarina
Bruna Lo Sasso
Giampaolo Merlini
Martina Montagnana
Andrea Mosca
Paola Pezzati
Rossella Tomaiuolo
Matteo Vidali

EIC Assistant
Francesco Busardò

International Advisory Board Khosrow Adeli Canada
Sergio Bernardini Italy
Marcello Ciaccio Italy
Eleftherios Diamandis Canada
Philippe Gillery France
Kjell Grankvist Sweden
Hans Jacobs The Netherlands
Eric Kilpatrick UK
Magdalena Krintus Poland
Giuseppe Lippi Italy
Mario Plebani Italy
Sverre Sandberg Norway
Ana-Maria Simundic Croatia
Tommaso Trenti Italy
Cas Weykamp The Netherlands
Maria Willrich USA
Paul Yip Canada

Publisher
Biomedia srl
Via L. Temolo 4, 20126 Milano

Responsible Editor
Giuseppe Agosta

Editorial Secretary
Chiara Riva
Biomedia srl
Via L. Temolo 4, 20126 Milano
Tel. 0245498282
email: biochimica.clinica@sibioc.it

--------------------

ISSN print: 0393 – 0564
ISSN digital: 0392- 7091

BC: Articoli scritti da T. Bosoni

Una complicata valutazione della risposta alla terapia in un paziente con malattia da deposito di catene leggere libere
A complicated evaluation of the response to the therapy in a patient with light chain deposition disease
J. Ripepi \| M. Basset \| P. Milani \| M. Nuvolone \| A. Foli \| M. Bozzola \| T. Bosoni \| R. Albertini \| G. Palladini \|
<p>Light chain deposition disease (LCDD) is characterized by tissue deposition, mostly in the kidney, of monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains (LCs), causing renal dysfunction and end-stage renal disease. The main goal of therapy is the reduction of LCs concentration, that can be obtained using chemotherapy approaches. We report the case of a 28-year-old man with LCDD (IgGκ type) and underlying multiple myeloma who, after three ineffective lines of therapy, started a treatment with daratumumab, a monoclonal antibody (mAb, IgG1κ type) drug, recently introduced for multiple myeloma treatment. The drug seemed effective but a IgGκ spike remained visible at standard immunofixation. To discriminate the drug from the patient monoclonal component, immunofixation with Hydrashift system was used. This tool identified the visible IgGκ as mAb drug and complete response was documented. This case showed the utility of new clinical assays for the evaluation of response to therapy in patients treated with mAb drugs.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 44(4) e30-e33 Casi Clinici - Case Report

I marcatori di clonalità per la diagnosi e la valutazione della risposta alla terapia nell’amiloidosi da catene leggere: il ruolo del laboratorio
Clonal biomarkers for diagnosis and response to treatment assessment in light chain amyloidosis: the role of the laboratory
M. Basset \| M. Bozzola \| J. Ripepi \| P. Milani \| M. Nuvolone \| F. Lavatelli \| G. Ferraro \| T. Bosoni \| L. Pirolini \| R. Albertini \| G. Palladini \|
<p>Serum monoclonal components, Bence-Jones proteinuria (PBJ) and free light chains (FLC) are clonal biomarkers for diagnosis and response assessment in light chain (AL) amyloidosis. Two clinical reports are presented here toi llustrate the utility of these biomarkers. The first case is a patient with AL κappa renal amyloidosis. Serum and urine immunofixation were negative and the FLC ratio was abnormal. Immunoelectron microscopy on tissue biopsy was negative. Amyloid typing was achieved by mass spectrometry on fat pad aspirate. The second case is a patient with AL cardiac amyloidosis with PBJ lambdaand low concentration of amyloidogenic FLC (32 mg/L). Urine capillary electrophoresis was used to assess response to treatment. The progressive reduction of PBJ after treatment was accompanied by reduction of NT-proBNP and improvement of clinical conditions. Clonal biomarkers are irreplaceable tools in management of AL amyloidosis. There is a need for more sensitive techniques for identification of monoclonal FLC on serum and urine.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 44(2) E11-E15 Casi Clinici - Case Report

Un caso di gammopatia monoclonale di significato renale
A case of monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance
J. Ripepi \| M. Basset \| M. Bozzola \| P. Milani \| M. Nuvolone \| F. Lavatelli \| G. Ferraro \| T. Bosoni \| L. Pirolini \| R. Albertini \| G. Palladini \|
<p>Monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS) is a condition defined by the presence of a small-B cell clone causing a renal disease trough deposition in renal tissues of the monoclonal component (MC) secreted by the B cells. Since MGRS is associated with several types of renal diseases, characterization of renal damage caused by protein deposition is important to define the correct diagnosis as well as the identification of the MC. Adult Fanconi Syndrome (FS) is characterized by the presence of a MC and damage in the proximal tubule with impaired small molecules transport. We report the case of a 32 years old man with moderate kidney failure, normoglycemic glycosuria and hypouricemia. Further investigations revealed hypophosphoremia and phosphaturia; an IgGκ MC was detected by immunofixation. The kidney biopsy confirmed FS suspect. This case underlines that the results of the biochemical analysis carried on for the diagnosis of FS, need to be confirmed by histopathologic analysis.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 44(2) E08-E10 Casi Clinici - Case Report

Valutazione della risposta alla terapia in un paziente con amiloidosi AL e basse concentrazioni della catena leggera libera monoclonale
Evaluation of response to treatment in a patient with light chain amyloidosis and low free light chain burden
M. Basset \| P. Milani \| F. Russo \| M. Nuvolone \| F. Lavatelli \| T. Bosoni \| L. Pirolini \| F. Li Bergolis \| A. Foli \| R. Albertini \| G. Palladini \| G. Merlini \|
<p>Evaluation of response to treatment in a patient with light chain amyloidosis and low free light chain burden. In patients with light chain (AL) amyloidosis, reduction of amyloidogenic circulating free light chain (FLC) concentration translates in improvement of organ dysfunction and is associated with an increase in overall survival. Validated criteria for hematologic response to therapy are based on FLC quantification. However, patients with a difference between involved and uninvolved FLC (dFLC) <50 mg/L are not evaluable for hematologic response. Here we report the case of a 69 year old man with AL (λ) amyloidosis with renal involvement, presenting a low-FLC burden (dFLC 41 mg/L) at diagnosis. After two lines of treatment, a profound reduction of amyloidogenic FLC (dFLC 0 mg/L) was associated with an improvement of organ dysfunction. This case emphasizes the role of FLC assessment in the monitoring also of patients with a low-dFLC burden.</p><p> </p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 43(1) e4-e6 Casi Clinici - Case Report

La misura delle catene leggere libere indentifica la ricaduta di malattia e orienta per una rivalutazione della tipizzazione dell’amiloide in una paziente con amiloidosi AL
Free light measurement identifies relapse and prompts to reconsider amyloid typing in a patient with AL amyloidosis
P. Milani \| M. Basset \| F. Russo \| M. Nuvolone \| F. Lavatelli \| T. Bosoni \| L. Pirolini \| F. Li Bergolis \| A. Foli \| R. Albertini \| G. Palladini \| G. Merlini \|
<p>The detection and quantification of amyloidogenic light-chains (LC) is necessary for diagnosis and evaluation of response in AL amyloidosis. A 69 years old woman was initially diagnosed, in another center, with AL-<span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif; font-size:11.0pt">λ</span> amyloidosis with renal and soft tissue involvement in December 2001. After 4 cycles of therapy with melphalan and dexamethasone serum and urine immunofixation were negative and, after cycle 6, complete remission was confirmed. Free light chain (FLC) ratio was normal until June 2006, when proteinuria increased, and an elevated k-FLC concentration with abnormal k/<span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif; font-size:14.6667px">λ</span>-ratio was documented. We repeated the abdominal fat aspirate for amyloid typing by immune-electron microscopy that revealed k-LC deposits. The diagnosis was AL-k. A relapse was documented and the patient was started on bortezomib and dexamethasone therapy. After 8 cycles, complete remission was obtained. In this case, FLC allowed the identification of the amyloidogenic-LC, enabling the detection of relapse.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 42(2) e15-e17 Casi clinici - Case report

Utilità del saggio Hevylite nella gestione clinica di una paziente affetta da amiloidosi AL con gammopatia biclonale
Usefulness of the Hevylite assay in the management of a patient with AL amyloidosis and biclonal gammopathy
V. Valentini \| F. Lavatelli \| P. Milani \| F. Russo \| M. Basset \| T. Bosoni \| L. Pirolini \| F. Li Bergolis \| G. Palladini \| G. Merlini \|
<p>Patients with AL amyloidosis often have small monoclonal components (MCs) difficult to quantify by densitometry. IgA are the most problematic, due to anodic migration and possible masking under proteins migrating in β zone. We evaluated the usefulness of the Hevylite assay (Binding Site, Birmingham UK), at diagnosis and during follow-up, in a patient with AL amyloidosis and biclonal gammopathy. At diagnosis serum immunofixation identified an IgGλ and an IgAλ band (the last one not reliably quantifiable in capillary electrophoresis). The κ serum free light chain (FLC) concentration was 4.94 mg/L and λ 26 mg/L (κ/λ ratio 0.19). The Hevylite test showed both IgGλ and IgAλ above the reference limits, with abnormal κ/λ ratios. After treatment, a 27% decrease in IgGλ and a 56% decrease in IgAλ concentration were documented by Hevylite, which was the only mean to quantify the monoclonal components in this patient.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 40(2) e12-e15 Casi clinici - Case report