Table 1

Serum paraproteins in the case–control study of 74 age-matched and connective tissue disease (CTD) diagnosis-matched women with and without silicone implants


Silicone implant



Yes (Group 1)
No (Group 2)

Age (years)a
49.9 ± 8.7
49.8 ± 8.4
Number of women with paraprotein band(s)/totalb
7/74 (9.5%)
4/74 (5.4%)
Number of women with paraprotein band(s) according to primary CTD diagnosis
     Unexplained polyarthritis
0/1 (0%)
0/1 (0%)
     Systemic sclerosis
1/10 (10%)
0/10 (0%)
     Systemic lupus erythematosus
0/1 (0%)
0/0 (0%)
     Polymyositis/dermatomyositis
1/13 (4%)
2/14 (4%)
     Undifferentiated CTD
4/39 (13%)
2/39 (5%)
     Fibromyalgia syndrome
1/10 (0%)
0/10 (10%)
Type of paraprotein band(s)c


     IgG(κ)
4
5
     IgG(λ)
1
1
     IgM(κ)
0
0
     IgM(λ)
2
1

aPresented as the mean ± standard deviation, no significant difference by paired t test (P = 0.82). bNo significant differences between Groups 1 and 2 using the McNemar test (P = 0.55). cOne woman with dermatomyositis had two IgG(κ) and one IgG(λ) bands, whereas a patient with polymyositis had both IgG(κ) and IgM(λ) bands.

Csako et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2007 9:R95   doi:10.1186/ar2295