Retrospective analysis of clinical & laboratory profile and treatment regimen of multiple myeloma in Kelantan - 1983-1994

Abstract

A series of 41 patients with multiple myeloma was studied retrospectively. The clinical and laboratory profile and treatment regimen were analysed. The patients were from 28-78 years old (mean 56), and the male:female ratio was 2.2:1. Bone pain and constitutional symptoms were the commonest presenting symptoms, and pallor was noted in 78% of patients. Eighty-eight percent of the patients had a haemoglobin of <10g/dL, and 79% had ESR >100mm/hr. Thirteen case had hypercalcemia of which 5 were IgA-type myeloma. Fifty percent of cases had either serum creatinine or blood urea raised. Immunoglobulin of IgG type was the most common class of myeloma with kappa being the commonest light. Varied treatment protocols were used but treatment responses could not be assessed fully because of frequent patient default. Generally, the findings in this study correlated well with those of larger studies on multiple myeloma.