M. Ballare et al., A PILOT-STUDY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CYCLOSPORINE IN TYPE-II MIXED CRYOGLOBULINEMIA, Clinical and experimental rheumatology, 13, 1995, pp. 201-203
Objective: To evaluate the effect of cyclosporine in the treatment of
type II mixed cryoglobulinemia, after the failure of more conventional
therapies. Methods: Two patients with type II mixed cryoglobulinemia
associated with chronic HCV infection, purpura, liver disease, and sen
sitive/motor neuropathy were treated with cyclosporine (2.5 mg/Kg/b.w.
), after their failure to respond to treatment with corticosteroid, im
munosuppressive drugs, interferon, and plasmapheresis. Results: In bot
h patients an improvement in the clinical manifestations (purpura and
peripheral neuropathy), laboratory results (serum transaminases and cr
yocrit), and liver histology was seen, as well as the disappearance of
bone marrow B-cell lymphoproliferation. Conclusion: Cyclosporine may
be useful in the treatment of type II mixed cryoglobulinemia with prom
inent autoimmune clinical manifestations, although further studies are
needed to better define the selection of patients.