The 24-hour urine light chain test examines the amount of light chains excreted in the urine. An increase in urinary light chains is usually indicative of severe renal tubular damage and may be seen in multiple myeloma, which requires aggressive treatment under the direction of a physician.
Urinary light chains are small immunoglobulin molecules that can pass through the glomerular basement membrane, be reabsorbed by the renal tubules, and then return to the body’s blood circulation again. When a large number of urinary light chains are excreted in the urine, it indicates that the renal tubules may be seriously damaged, and normal bodies will not detect urinary light chains in the urine examination.
Since urinary light chains are secreted by plasma cells, elevated values of urinary light chains are indicative of plasma cell disorders, most commonly multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, and Wahl’s macroglobulinemia. Further investigations are required and symptomatic treatment is indicated under the supervision of a physician.
If there is any abnormality in the 24-hour urine light chain during the examination, it is recommended to go to a regular hospital in time, improve the examination to clarify the cause of the disease, and then give targeted treatment or therapy under the guidance of the doctor.