Prevalence of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance in an elderly urban Korean population

Abstract

Research on the epidemiology of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is limited in Korea. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of MGUS in an elderly urban Korean population. A random sample of 1118 Korean elders was selected from residents aged 65 years or older living in Seongnam, Korea 1 year from August 2005. We obtained plasma samples remaining after scheduled tests for the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging. The mean age of the study population was 72 years (range, 65-97 years). To screen for MGUS, immunofixation and free light-chain (FLC) assays were performed. Age-adjusted and gender-adjusted MGUS prevalence rates in 680 responders were estimated as 3.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 5 2.0-4.6%], and the estimated age-adjusted prevalence of MGUS was 4.3% in men (95% CI 5 1.9-6.6%) and 2.6% in women (95% CI 5 1.0-4.2%). Abnormal FLC ratios were detected in 10% of MGUS cases. Multivariate analysis of 945 participants revealed that significant risk factors for MGUS included advanced age, male sex, hyperproteinemia, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and abnormal FLC ratio. MGUS is less prevalent among elderly Koreans (3.3%) than other races. This is the first study to estimate the prevalence of MGUS in the Korean elderly population. Our findings should be confirmed with additional studies analyzing follow-up samples from 2010. Am. J. Hematol. 86:752-755, 2011. V

MGUS prevalence in an ethnically Chinese population in Hong Kong

“…Our findings are consistent with older studies showing that Asians have a fivefold lower incidence of multiple myeloma compared with whites, 3 and are consistent with prior MGUS prevalence studies in Thailand (2.3%; 95% CI, 1.1%-4.6%), 4 Korea (3.3%; 95% CI, 1.0%-4.2%), 5 and Japan (2.1%; 95% CI, 1.9%-2.2%). 6 In the Olmsted County study conducted by the Mayo Clinic, the prevalence of MGUS among 50-to 59-year-old and 60-to 69-year-old whites was 1.6% and 3.0%, respectively.…”

Association between the Delta Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate and the Prevalence of Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance in Korean Males

“…To date, the MGUS prevalence in Koreans has been determined only in elderly people >65 years [3]. In the present study, the prevalence of MGUS in participants >60 years was 3.80% which was similar to those obtained from elderly Korean male aged over 65 years (3.8%) [3]. …”

“…Our results showed that MGUS prevalence values in Korean men in their 40 (0.00%), 50 (1.63%), and >60 years of age (3.80%) were similar to MGUS values for Japanese males in their 40 (1.2%), 50 (2.7%), and >60 years of age (4.3%) and Chinese men 50–65 years (1.2%) [8, 9]. To date, the MGUS prevalence in Koreans has been determined only in elderly people >65 years [3]. In the present study, the prevalence of MGUS in participants >60 years was 3.80% which was similar to those obtained from elderly Korean male aged over 65 years (3.8%) [3].…”

“…The prevalence of MGUS is also affected by race and sex, but MGUS generally develops in older people, African-Americans, and males with a slight predominance [1–5]. In previous studies, the prevalence of MGUS was 4.9% in Caucasian males > 60 years old [2] and 3.8% in Korean males > 65 years old [3]. …”

Clinical profiles of multiple myeloma in Asia—An Asian Myeloma Network study

“…One more thing we should consider is the incidence of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) among Asian countries. Surprisingly, the incidence of MGUS is almost equivalent or only slightly lower than what has been reported in Western countries, although the number of studies is very limited . Considering that MM is almost always preceded by MGUS, the reported incidence of MGUS in Asian countries would lead us to expect that the incidence of MM will further increase in the near future.…”