Quantitative immunoglobulins are useful for detecting or monitoring of monoclonal gammopathies and immune deficiencies. Increased serum immunoglobulin concentrations occur due to polyclonal or oligoclonal immunoglobulin proliferation in hepatic disease (hepatitis, liver cirrhosis), connective tissue diseases, acute and chronic infections, as well as in the cord blood of neonates with intra uterine and perinatal infections. Elevations of IgG, IgA, or IgM may occur in monoclonal gammopathies such as multiple myeloma (IgG, IgA), macroglobulinemia (IgM), primary systemic amyloidosis, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), and related disorders.
Decreased levels are found in patients with primary or secondary immune deficiencies.
Immunoglobulin quantitation is used to monitor the size of a monoclonal protein that is contained in a background of polyclonal immunoglobulins; however, changes in the immunoglobulin quantitation may reflect changes in the background immunoglobulins.