Table 1.

Baseline characteristics of optimally and suboptimally followed patients at time of MGUS diagnosis

Variable	Optimal (n = 80; 69%)	Suboptimal (n = 28; 24%)	P
Median age, y (range)	67 (35-87)	67 (50-80)	.23
Male sex, n (%)	42 (53)	16 (57)	.83
Type of H chain, N (%)			.5
IgG	56 (70)	20 (72)
IgA	20 (25)	6 (21)
Light chain	2 (2.5)	0
Biclonal	2 (2.5)	2 (7)
Median M spike (range), g/dL	1.5 (undetectable-2.9)	1.3 (undetectable-2.9)	.09
Median hemoglobin (range), g/dL	13.2 (8.7-17)	13.3 (8.9-16.4)	.73
Median calcium (range), mEq/L	9.5 (8.4-11.1)	9.1 (8.5-10.1)	.02*
Median creatinine (range), mg/dL	1.1 (0.6-3.0)	1.1 (0.8-1.4)	.44
Median total protein (range), mg/dL	7.2 (5.8-10.7)	7.1 (5.5-8.4)	.11

Of the 116 patients who met study criteria, 8 were excluded from further analysis because of progression to symptomatic MM within one year of MGUS diagnosis. The remaining 108 were divided into 2 categories according to the frequency of follow-up. The optimal category grouped patients who received follow-up every 6 to 36 months. The suboptimal group included patients who were monitored less often than every 36 months or who did not receive follow-up at all. The table shows baseline characteristics of patients in each category at the time of MGUS diagnosis.

^*Statistically significant.