IgMk paraprotein from gammopathy patient can bind to cardiolipin and interfere with coagulation assay: a case report

The monoclonal gammopathies are a group of plasma-cell proliferative disorders characterized by the secretion of monoclonal immunoglobulin (M protein or paraprotein). Some rare cases have revealed the specific affinity of paraprotein as autoantibody. Here we report a patient with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) accompanied by a remarkable increase of anticardiolipin antibody (aCL) and an extensively decreased coagulation factor activity, however, without any clinical signs of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and bleeding. Our further investigation indicated that IgMκ paraprotein of this patient possessed an antibody activity against phospholipids so as to bind to cardiolipin and interfere with coagulation assay in vitro. This case might be indicative that an abnormality of coagulation tests, disturbed by IgMκ paraprotein, does not predict a risk of bleeding in this patient.