Title Cold hard facts of cryoglobulinemia: updates on clinical features and treatment advances.
Author Ghetie, Daniela; Mehraban, Navid; Sibley, Cailin H
Journal Rheum Dis Clin North Am Publication Year/Month 2015
PMID 25399942 PMCID -N/A-
Affiliation + expend 1.Division of Arthritis & Rheumatic Diseases, Vasculitis Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.

Cryoglobulins are immunoglobulins that precipitate at temperatures less than 37 degrees C. They occur secondary to infectious, autoimmune, and malignant processes. In the Brouet classification, type I cryoglobulinemia is caused by hyperviscosity, whereas type II and III manifestations are caused by vasculitis in target organs (primarily skin, peripheral nerves, and kidney). New classification criteria were recently proposed that may help with study and treatment of cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (CryoVas). Hepatitis C virus is the most common cause of CryoVas and treatment with antivirals can be curative in mild cases, whereas rituximab is highly effective in treating active vasculitis in more severe cases.

  • Copyright © 2023
    National Institute of Pathogen Biology, CAMS & PUMC, Bejing, China
    All rights reserved.