Baseline characteristics of optimally and suboptimally followed patients at time of MGUS diagnosis
| Variable . | Optimal (n = 80; 69%) . | Suboptimal (n = 28; 24%) . | P . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age, y (range) | 67 (35-87) | 67 (50-80) | .23 |
| Male sex, n (%) | 42 (53) | 16 (57) | .83 |
| Type of H chain, N (%) | .5 | ||
| IgG | 56 (70) | 20 (72) | |
| IgA | 20 (25) | 6 (21) | |
| Light chain | 2 (2.5) | 0 | |
| Biclonal | 2 (2.5) | 2 (7) | |
| Median M spike (range), g/dL | 1.5 (undetectable-2.9) | 1.3 (undetectable-2.9) | .09 |
| Median hemoglobin (range), g/dL | 13.2 (8.7-17) | 13.3 (8.9-16.4) | .73 |
| Median calcium (range), mEq/L | 9.5 (8.4-11.1) | 9.1 (8.5-10.1) | .02* |
| Median creatinine (range), mg/dL | 1.1 (0.6-3.0) | 1.1 (0.8-1.4) | .44 |
| Median total protein (range), mg/dL | 7.2 (5.8-10.7) | 7.1 (5.5-8.4) | .11 |
| Variable . | Optimal (n = 80; 69%) . | Suboptimal (n = 28; 24%) . | P . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age, y (range) | 67 (35-87) | 67 (50-80) | .23 |
| Male sex, n (%) | 42 (53) | 16 (57) | .83 |
| Type of H chain, N (%) | .5 | ||
| IgG | 56 (70) | 20 (72) | |
| IgA | 20 (25) | 6 (21) | |
| Light chain | 2 (2.5) | 0 | |
| Biclonal | 2 (2.5) | 2 (7) | |
| Median M spike (range), g/dL | 1.5 (undetectable-2.9) | 1.3 (undetectable-2.9) | .09 |
| Median hemoglobin (range), g/dL | 13.2 (8.7-17) | 13.3 (8.9-16.4) | .73 |
| Median calcium (range), mEq/L | 9.5 (8.4-11.1) | 9.1 (8.5-10.1) | .02* |
| Median creatinine (range), mg/dL | 1.1 (0.6-3.0) | 1.1 (0.8-1.4) | .44 |
| Median total protein (range), mg/dL | 7.2 (5.8-10.7) | 7.1 (5.5-8.4) | .11 |
Of the 116 patients who met study criteria, 8 were excluded from further analysis because of progression to symptomatic MM within one year of MGUS diagnosis. The remaining 108 were divided into 2 categories according to the frequency of follow-up. The optimal category grouped patients who received follow-up every 6 to 36 months. The suboptimal group included patients who were monitored less often than every 36 months or who did not receive follow-up at all. The table shows baseline characteristics of patients in each category at the time of MGUS diagnosis.
Statistically significant.