Biochemical markers in multiple myeloma: a multivariate analysis.

The analysis of individual biochemical and clinical variables in 121 patients with multiple myeloma showed that serum beta 2-microglobulin (S-beta 2m) had the most significant relation to survival. Other variables such as serum thymidine kinase (S-TK), serum lactate dehydrogenase (S-LDH), S-creatinine, haemoglobin (Hb), ESR, S-albumin, age and clinical stage were also significant. No such relationship was found with M-component, presence of light chains in urine, type of secreted immunoglobulin or S-calcium. The exclusion of clinical stage in the first multivariate analysis resulted in a model consisting of S-beta 2m, age and S-TK, none of the other variables gave additional information. When in the second multivariate analysis the basic variables involved in staging procedure were excluded and clinical stage included, stage III, but not stage II, was found to give additional information to the model described above. Individual analysis of the variables showed that Hb had the most significant relation to effect of initial therapy. Other significant variables were S-TK, S-beta 2m and age. When using the multivariate approach, Hb alone was found to contain all the relevant information.