Estimating a normal reference range for serum B‐cell maturation antigen levels for multiple myeloma patients
Scott Jew, Sean Bujarski, Camilia Soof, Haiming Chen, Tahmineh Safaie, Mingjie Li, Eric Sanchez, Cathy Wang, Marsiye Emamy‐Sadr, Regina A. Swift, Ashkon Rahbari, Saurabh Patil, Eric Souther, Tanya M. Spektor, James R. Berenson
Abstract
The serum B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) has been identified as a novel serum biomarker for patients with multiple myeloma. However, no study has yet established a reference range for sBCMA levels. Its levels were determined in 196 healthy subjects and showed a right-tailed distribution with a median value of 37·51 ng/ml with a standard deviation of 22·54 ng/ml (range 18·78-180·39 ng/ml). Partitioning of subgroup reference ranges was considered but determined to be irrelevant. A non-parametric method using the median ± 2 standard deviations suggests using a universal reference interval of <82·59 ng/ml.