Serious sequelae of hypothermia in cryoglobulinaemia
Martens, H.A.; Stoof, S.P.; Kobold, A.M.; Haagsma, E.B.; Stegeman, C.A.; Brouwer, E.
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde 153: B432
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 1876-8784 PMID: 19857315 Document Number: 630775
Cryoglobulinaemia was diagnosed in three patients. The first was a 61-year-old man with severe skin involvement and polyneuropathy caused by type I cryoglobulinaemia associated with a small B cell clone in the bone marrow. A 73-year-old woman presented with neuropathy and renal and skin involvement due to type II cryoglobulinaemia associated with hepatitis C virus infection. The third patient was a 23-year-old woman with skin and renal involvement caused by type III cryoglobulinaemia. Cryoglobulins are circulating proteins that precipitate below a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. This precipitation causes several signs and symptoms and, in some cases, severe organ damage. According to the Brouet classification, there are three different types of cryoglobulinaemia. Treatment focuses on their underlying causes and on the prevention of cryoglobulin precipitation. It is important to avoid hypothermia, which was the cause of severe manifestations in two of our patients.