Serum Protein Electrophoresis: Basic Facts
Serum protein electrophoresis, or SPEP OR SPE for short, is a lab test and examines specific proteins in the blood, as a way of helping diagnose disorders.
To do the test, blood must be collected. Then, the doctor may use a lab technique called electrophoresis to do the examination. Specific proteins such as Albumin, Alpha-1, Alpha-2, Beta and Gamma will be measured to look for abnormalities.
Reference Range
| Normal Levels (g/dL) | |
| Albumin | 3.3-5.7 |
| Alpha-1 | 0.1-0.4 |
| Alpha-2 | 0.3-0.9 |
| Beta | 0.7-1.5 |
| Gamma | 0.5-1.4 |
An Abnormal SPEP Test
| Protein | Abnormal Levels | Indications |
| Albumin | Low albumin levels | Malnutrition, cirrhosis, and nephrotic syndrome |
| High albumin levels | Dehydration | |
| Alpha-1 | High Alpha-1 levels | Alcoholic liver disease, and liver cancer |
| Alpha-2 | Low Alpha-2 levels | Hemolytic anemia |
| High Alpha-2 levels | Infection, malignancy, and inflammation | |
| Beta | High Beta levels | Iron-deficiency anemia, pregnancy, and estrogen therapy |
| Gamma | High Gamma levels | Agammaglobulinemia and hypogammaglobulinemia |
| Low Gamma levels | Inflammatory, autoimmune, and hematologic/non-hematologic conditions |
Also, the serum protein electrophoresis test is often used to check for the presence of abnormal proteins called M proteins, which might be indicative of a form of cancer called myeloma and other conditions such as Waldenström macroglobulinemia, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), or primary amyloidosis.
And it must be noted that results of the SPEP tests only indicate the presence of a medical condition. So, further testing is required to confirm a diagnosis.
Keywords: serum protein electrophoresis; SPEP test; SPE test.