An 85-year-old client comes to the hospital and reports severe back pain. The client's blood report shows IgA concentration of 2 grams/deciliter and plasma cells of 8% in the bone marrow. The client does not show symptoms of anemia or hypercalcemia. Based on these findings, what should the nurse suspect?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The client's symptoms and lab findings suggest Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS) rather than Multiple Myeloma. MGUS is characterized by the presence of an abnormal monoclonal protein (M protein) in the blood, similar to multiple myeloma, but without the significant symptoms or organ damage (e.g., anemia, hypercalcemia, more than 10% plasma cells in the bone marrow) associated with multiple myeloma. The client's IgA concentration and 8% plasma cells in the bone marrow support the diagnosis of MGUS.

An 85-Year-Old Client Comes to the Hospital and Reports Severe