Cryoglobulinemia

Abstract

A large number of disease states are characterized by cryoglobulinemia. Quantification and immunochemical classification of cryoglobulins in serum provide information of diagnostic and pathophysiologic utility. Thus, type I cryoglobulins consist of a monoclonal immunoglobulin of a single class and are associated with lymphoproliferative disorders, such as multiple myeloma. Type II (mixed) cryoglobulins contain monoclonal IgM or rheumatoid factor and polyclonal IgG, and occur in patients with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia or chronic active hepatitis, for example. In type III cryoglobulins, both the IgM and rheumatoid factor and the IgG components are polyclonal. A large number of autoimmune or infectious diseases exhibit type III cryoglobulinemia. In certain well-studied situations, type II and type III cryoglobulins have been shown to contain antigen-antibody complexes directly involved in tissue injury in vivo, e.g., DNA and anti-DNA in systemic lupus erythematosus.