OBJECTIVE: To describe a population of patients with symptomatic cryoglobulinaemia, comparing manifestations and outcome as a function of hepatitis C virus (HCV) status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study on 179 patients who tested positive for cryoglobulins, seen between 1978 and 1998 in an internal medicine department. RESULTS: Among 179 cryoglobulin-positive patients, only 49 (18 men, 31 women; mean age 59.96+/-12 yr) had clinical manifestations attributable to cryoglobulinaemia. Thirty-three had HCV infection, 20 had systemic autoimmune diseases, two had haematological diseases, one had human immunodeficiency virus and HCV co-infection, one had HCV and HBV co-infection and six had essential mixed cryoglobulinaemia. The clinical manifestations and cryoglobulin levels in HCV(+) and HCV(-) patients did not differ significantly. Only arthralgias and elevated transaminases were significantly more frequent in HCV(+) patients (P<0.02 and <0.05, respectively). Five-year survival rates were comparable for HCV(+) and HCV(-) patients. Eight patients died (six HCV(+), two HCV(-)), with a median time between diagnosis and death of 38.7 months. CONCLUSION: Clinical manifestations of cryoglobulinaemia, except arthralgias, were comparable for HCV(+) and HCV(-) patients. When systemic manifestations are present, the prognosis is poor despite intensive or prolonged therapy.
OBJECTIVE: To describe a population of patients with symptomatic cryoglobulinaemia, comparing manifestations and outcome as a function of hepatitis C virus (HCV) status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study on 179 patients who tested positive for cryoglobulins, seen between 1978 and 1998 in an internal medicine department. RESULTS: Among 179 cryoglobulin-positive patients, only 49 (18 men, 31 women; mean age 59.96+/-12 yr) had clinical manifestations attributable to cryoglobulinaemia. Thirty-three had HCV infection, 20 had systemic autoimmune diseases, two had haematological diseases, one had human immunodeficiency virus and HCV co-infection, one had HCV and HBV co-infection and six had essential mixed cryoglobulinaemia. The clinical manifestations and cryoglobulin levels in HCV(+) and HCV(-) patients did not differ significantly. Only arthralgias and elevated transaminases were significantly more frequent in HCV(+) patients (P<0.02 and <0.05, respectively). Five-year survival rates were comparable for HCV(+) and HCV(-) patients. Eight patients died (six HCV(+), two HCV(-)), with a median time between diagnosis and death of 38.7 months. CONCLUSION: Clinical manifestations of cryoglobulinaemia, except arthralgias, were comparable for HCV(+) and HCV(-) patients. When systemic manifestations are present, the prognosis is poor despite intensive or prolonged therapy.
Authors: Surbhi Sidana; S Vincent Rajkumar; Angela Dispenzieri; Martha Q Lacy; Morie A Gertz; Francis K Buadi; Suzanne R Hayman; David Dingli; Prashant Kapoor; Wilson I Gonsalves; Ronald S Go; Yi Lisa Hwa; Nelson Leung; Amie L Fonder; Miriam A Hobbs; Steven R Zeldenrust; Stephen J Russell; John A Lust; Robert A Kyle; Shaji K Kumar Journal: Am J Hematol Date: 2017-05-26 Impact factor: 10.047
Authors: Anke Braun; Thomas Neumann; Peter Oelzner; Gert Hein; Hermann-Josef Gröne; Mirjana Ziemer; Gunter Wolf Journal: Rheumatol Int Date: 2007-10-09 Impact factor: 2.631