In this Article

• What is cryoglobulinemia?
• What conditions are associated with cryoglobulinemia?
• What is essential mixed cryoglobulinemia?
• What is the prognosis (outlook) for patients with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia?
• How is essential mixed cryoglobulinemia treated?
• Essential Mixed Cryoglobulinemia Glossary
• Essential Mixed Cryoglobulinemia Index

What is the prognosis (outlook) for patients with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia?

The prognosis and natural history of the illness is not predictable. Kidney damage can be serious and recent reports state that permanent failure of the kidney occurs in approximately 10% of patients. Death can occur, usually from serious heart disease, infection, or brain hemorrhage.

How is essential mixed cryoglobulinemia treated?

Essential mixed cryoglobulinemia is treated with combinations of medications which reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system. Medications used include nonsteroid antiinflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, aspirin, and others), cortisone preparations (prednisone, prednisolone), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), chlorambucil (Leukeran), and azathioprine (Imuran). Plasmapheresis (hemapheresis), a procedure whereby the blood's serum is replaced with saline (salt water), is also performed for severe symptoms.

Recent studies have demonstrated some benefit of using interferon-alpha for those patients with evidence of hepatitis C virus, particularly those with mild disease or in those with remission of manifestations after immune suppression treatment.

Suggested Reading by Our Doctors

• prednisone, Deltasone, Liquid Pred - Defines the medication prednisone (Deltasone, Liquid Pred) a drug used for suppressing the immune system and inflammation. Article includes descriptions, uses, drug interaction, and side effects.
• Skin Biopsy - Read about the skin biopsy procedure and what to expect if your doctor orders this procedure for a lesion.
• Abdominal Pain - Learn about abdominal pain (pain in the stomach / abdomen) including causes, symptoms, how abdominal pain is diagnosed, and how abdominal pain is treated.

Read more Essential Mixed Cryoglobulinemia related articles »

Latest Medical News

• Boomers Doomed to Disability?
• Gender Divorce Gap After Illness Strikes
• Cigarette Smoking's Decline Levels Off
• 22 Million Cases of Swine Flu in U.S.