HEPATITIS C-ASSOCIATED CRYOGLOBULINEMIA

Leukocytoclastic vasculitis can be mused by a variety of infectious, n eoplastic, and autoimmune processes. Cryoglobulinemia should be includ ed in this differential diagnosis, Recently, many patients with ''idio pathic'' cryoglobulinemia have been found to have hepatitis C. We repo rt the clinical and histopathologic features of a patient who presente d with leukocytoclastic vasculitis and was found, after further invest igation, to have cryoglobulinemia as well, This led to the identificat ion of a previously undiagnosed hepatitis C infection. Dermatologists should be aware of this association because identification and treatme nt of hepatitis C in patients with cryoglobulinemia appears to have dr amatic effect on prognosis.