Essential Mixed Cryoglobulinemia

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What is cryoglobulinemia?

Cryoglobulinemia is a medical condition that is caused by proteins called cryoglobulins, which are present in the blood. Cryoglobulins are abnormal proteins that by definition have the unusual property of precipitating from the serum specimen when it is chilled in the laboratory and redissolving into the serum upon rewarming.

Cryoglobulins may or may not be causing disease. Cryoglobulins can accompany another condition (such as dermatomyositis, multiple myeloma, or lymphoma) or be an isolated condition themselves, called cryoglobulinemia.

What conditions are associated with cryoglobulinemia?

Cryoglobulins in the blood (cryoglobulinemia) can cause conditions throughout the body. These conditions include problems resulting from abnormal "thickness" of the blood (such as stroke or blood clots in the eyes leading to blindness) and inflammation of blood vessels, referred to as vasculitis. Vasculitis of arteries can result in blockage of arteries leading to damage to the organ(s) supplied by the affected blood vessels, such as in the skin, kidneys, or elsewhere.



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