ReviewCureus2026
Impact of Renal Function on Serum Free Light Chain Interpretation: A Comprehensive Review and Call for Stratified Reference Intervals.
Review in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The serum free light chain (FLC) assay has transformed the diagnosis and monitoring of plasma cell dyscrasias, yet its interpretation is significantly complicated by renal impairment. This comprehensive review, synthesizing evidence from 24 studies identified through a systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (from inception to September 2023), examines the relationship between renal function and FLC metabolism, evaluates limitations in current reference interval application, and proposes strategies for improving diagnostic accuracy through renal function-stratified interpretation. The literature consistently demonstrates a strong inverse correlation between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and serum FLC concentrations. Current manufacturer-derived reference intervals, established in young, healthy populations, lead to high false-positive rates in elderly patients with renal impairment, triggering unnecessary investigations. Studies proposing adjusted thresholds demonstrate significant potential for reducing false-positive interpretations without compromising sensitivity for detecting true monoclonal gammopathies. We advocate for the widespread adoption of eGFR-stratified reference intervals to reduce unnecessary investigations, decrease healthcare costs, and improve patient care.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.