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 m...

Background. Hepatitis C is a global major health problem with extremely variable extrahepatic manifestations. Mixed cryoglobulinaemia (MC) shows a striking association with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and it is sometimes asymptomatic. The skin is a frequently involved target organ in MC. Objective. To investigate the prevalence of cryoglobulinaemia in a sample of Egyptian patients with c...

which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. A 75-year-old man with a 2-year history of end-stage renal disease had skin lesions on both feet (A) for 2 weeks. The cause of end-stage renal disease remained to be clarified. Initial laboratory tests showed the following values: extracellular aggregates of...

Cryoglobulins are immunoglobulins that precipitate in serum at temperatures below 37°C and resolubilize upon warming. The clinical syndrome of cryoglobulinemia usually includes purpura, weakness, and arthralgia, but the underlying disease may also contribute other symptoms. Blood samples for cryoglobulin are collected, transported, clotted and spun at 37°C, before the precipitate is allowed to ...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with uncommon distal symmetric painful small-fiber neuropathy (DSPSFN). METHODS From September 2012 to September 2014, participants between 18-70 years of age that had DSPSFN defined by clinical signs/symptoms and ID pain > 2 or DN4 > 4 on questionnaires for more than 1 month were included. Participants who had previous histori...

To assess current practice in the detection, analysis, and reporting of cryoglobulins, a questionnaire was sent to 140 laboratories. Only 36% of laboratories used standard procedures (tube preheating, transport in container, and sedimentation and/or centrifugation at 37 degrees C) to ensure that the temperature did not drop below 37 degrees C until after serum separation. Time periods allowed f...