Urine protein electrophoresis and immunoelectrophoresis using unconcentrated or minimally concentrated urine samples.

Our objective was to evaluate a gel system that uses unconcentrated urine specimens for protein electrophoresis (PEL) and immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE) in patients with monoclonal gammopathies. For the study, 222 urine specimens were analyzed by our current PEL method (Helena Laboratories, Beaumont, TX) and by a system that recommends use of unconcentrated urine (Sebia, Norcross, GA). M protein concentrations were compared in the 43 cases with a measurable M spike.