Untangling fracture risk in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance: A population‐based cohort study

• Published in: European journal of haematology Vol. 107; no. 1; pp. 137 - 144
• Main Authors: Rögnvaldsson, Sæmundur, Aspelund, Thor, Thorsteinsdóttir, Sigrún, Turesson, Ingemar, Björkholm, Magnus, Landgren, Ola, Kristinsson, Sigurður Yngvi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2021
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Benign monoclonal gammopathy; bone disease; Bone diseases; Bone lesions; Case-Control Studies; Cohort analysis; Cohort Studies; Female; Fractures; Fractures, Bone - complications; Fractures, Bone - diagnosis; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Male; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Middle Aged; monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance; Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance - complications; Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance - diagnosis; Multiple myeloma; neuropathy; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases; Peripheral neuropathy; Population studies; Population-based studies; Registries; Reproducibility of Results; Risk; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sweden - epidemiology; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult; Sweden; neuropathy; multiple myeloma; monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance; bone disease; fractures
• ISSN: 0902-4441; 1600-0609; 1600-0609
• DOI: 10.1111/ejh.13633

Objective Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is the asymptomatic precursor of multiple myeloma (MM). Lytic bone lesions and fractures are hallmarks of MM and although there are no lytic lesions in MGUS, it has also been associated with fractures. The causes of fractures in MGUS are currently unclear but potential causes include inherent MGUS bone disease, undiagnosed MM, and peripheral neuropathy (PN). We therefore conducted a large population‐based study including 8395 individuals with MGUS and 30 851 matched controls from Sweden. Methods Data on fractures, PN, and confounders were acquired from high‐quality registers in Sweden. Results Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and PN were independently associated with fractures (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.29; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.21‐1.37; P < .001 and HR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.16‐1.55; P < .001). Imminent MGUS progression increased the risk of fractures (odds ratio: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.27‐2.16; P < .001). Fractures were not associated with long‐term risk of MGUS progression (HR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.77‐1.53; P = .64). Discussion Based on these findings, we speculate that MGUS leads to fractures through at least 3 independent mechanisms: undetected MGUS progression to MM, MGUS inherent bone disease, and PN through falls. These findings highlight the need for further study of MGUS inherent bone disease and can inform further research into fracture prevention in MGUS.