Cryoglobulinemia Diagnosis

Cryoglobulinemia is a condition in which abnormal proteins are found in the blood. The proteins are called cryoglobulins that become thick and gel-like in cold temperatures. This thickening may cause blood vessels to become blocked resulting in serious complications.

Types

• Cryoglobulinemia has three main types. Cryoglobulinemia I is most related to people with cancer of the blood. Cryoglobulinemia II and III may be called mixed cryoglobulinemia and are normally associated with people who have chronic inflammatory diseases or hepatitis C. Other conditions associated with the disorder may include leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis, mycoplasma pneumonia and vascular disease.

Considerations

• Cryoglobulinemia can cause complications to your health that includes infections of ulcers, kidney and liver failure, heart disease, bleeding of the digestive tract and death.

Symptoms

• Symptoms will vary depending on the type of cryoglobulinemia and may include fatigue, breathlessness, muscle and joint pain, skin ulcers and skin death. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain and tenderness, swelling of joints, weight and appetite loss.

Diagnosis

• Your doctor will check for enlargement of the spleen and liver. Blood tests will be taken to check complete blood counts, liver function and for cryoglobulins in the blood. An urinalysis will reveal if blood is in the urine, a sign of kidney damage. Other tests may include a chest x-ray, hepatitis C test and nerve tests to determine weakness in the legs and arms.

Treatment

• Mild cases of cryoglobulinemia can be treated by avoiding cold temperatures. In moderate cases of cryoglobulinemia, treatment for the underlying medical condition such as hepatitis C will normally treat the blood disorder. Over the counter anti-inflammatory medications such as Motrin or Advil can ease joint pain and tenderness. Severe cases will need treatment with corticosteroids to suppress the immune system. Plasmapheresis is a treatment for severe cases in which blood plasma is removed and replaced with donated plasma, fluid and proteins.

Solution

• There is no known way to prevent cryoglobulinemia. Since hepatitis C is associated with two types of the blood disorder, take precautions to avoid this infection. Avoiding cold temperatures may help in preventing symptoms. The disorder is not normally deadly, but if kidneys have extensive damage the outlook may be poor. It is important to make your doctor aware of any abnormal symptoms as early diagnosis and treatment may be able to stop irreversible damage to major organs.