blood disorders
Heavy Chain Diseases
Alpha Heavy Chain Disease
Alpha heavy chain disease (IgA heavy chain disease) affects mainly younger adults of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean ancestry. Infiltration of the intestinal tract wall by cancerous plasma cells often prevents proper absorption of nutrients from food ( Overview of Malabsorption ), resulting in severe diarrhea and weight loss. A rare form affects the respiratory tract. Doctors do blood tests when they suspect alpha heavy chain disease. Such tests include serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP), measurement of immunoglobulins, and immunoelectrophoresis. SPEP is a test that measures specific proteins in the Plasma to help identify some diseases. Immunoelectrophoresis is a more specialized version of this test, in which proteins are separated out and identified based on the detectable immunologic reactions they produce. Urine tests may also be needed. Sometimes tissue from the intestine is removed and examined (biopsy). Alpha heavy chain disease progresses rapidly, and some affected people die within 1 to 2 years. In other people, treatment withcyclophosphamide,prednisone(a corticosteroid), and antibiotics may slow the progression of the disease or lead to a remission. 