Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance: an update for nephrologists

Abstract

Screening for a monoclonal protein is a common part of the assessment of patients presenting with a renal injury. While in the settings of acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and proteinuria monoclonal proteins can be associated with significant pathologies such as cast nephropathy, amyloidosis, and light chain deposition disease, they can also be an unrelated finding. The purpose of this review is to provide the nephrologist with an update to the diagnostic assessment and risk stratification of monoclonal proteins to avoid unnecessary investigation and monitoring of those patients with low-risk monoclonal gammopathies.