SEVERE CRYOGLOBULINEMIA IN A PATIENT WITH ASYMPTOMATIC HEPATITIS-C VIRUS-INFECTION

A patient with severe type II cryoglobulinemia after ten years of asym ptomatic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is reported. Laboratory dat a showed hypergammaglobulinemia with polyclonal IgG and monoclonal IgM , blood hyperviscosity, high level of cryocrit (60%), HCV viremia, and normal levels of serum transaminases. Due to cold exposure, acrocyano sis and cardiac ischemic attack occurred; he recovered after being art ificially warmed. Administration of prednisolone and natural interfero n-alpha for three months resulted in significant decreases in the leve ls of serum IgM and cryocrit.