Central nervous system involvement in patients with HCV-related cryoglobulinemia

Abstract

Central nervous system involvement was rarely described in patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC). Most cases were reported before 1991, so these patients were not tested for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, two cases of cerebral ischemia in patients with HCV-related MC were recently reported. We describe three patients with chronic HCV and cryoglobulinemia, who complained of mild neurologic symptoms (dizziness, equilibrium impairment, monolateral hyposthenia, and defective sensitivity) which can be ascribed to central nervous system involvement. In all of these patients, brain magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple small hyperintensities compatible with ischemic lesions.