1. Clinical spectrum of cryoglobulinaemic neuropathy
- Author
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C Ferrari, Francesca Brindani, T Giuberti, Adriana Marbini, I Allegri, Franco Gemignani, and S Alfieri
- Subjects
Paper ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Neuromuscular disease ,Physical examination ,Comorbidity ,Hepacivirus ,Gastroenterology ,Severity of Illness Index ,Serology ,Polyneuropathies ,Nerve Fibers ,Internal medicine ,Severity of illness ,medicine ,Humans ,Aged ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,business.industry ,Mononeuritis Multiplex ,Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Cryoglobulinemia ,Surgery ,Psychiatry and Mental health ,Immunoglobulin G ,Sensory neuropathy ,Female ,Neurology (clinical) ,business - Abstract
Background and objective: Cryoglobulinaemic neuropathy (CN) is probably common, as it is usually related to HCV infection. The aim of this study was to delineate the clinical spectrum of CN in a large series and to investigate the factors influencing its expression. Methods: Seventy one consecutive patients (12 men, 59 women), diagnosed as having CN on the basis of clinical features of neuropathy, clinical and serological findings of mixed cryoglobulinaemia, and exclusion criteria, were identified during a six year period. All patients underwent clinical examination, and electrophysiological and laboratory investigations. Results: Results of the patients with "pure" CN (n = 54) and those with comorbidities (n = 17) were evaluated separately. Of the former 76% had sensory neuropathy (including selective small fibre sensory neuropathy (SFSN) in 14 patients), 15% had sensorimotor polyneuropathy, and 9% had mononeuritis multiplex. The pattern of distribution was similar in the patients with comorbidities. In 30/54 patients, CN was the first manifestation of cryoglobulinaemia. Patients with mild cryoglobulinaemic syndrome had sensory neuropathy more frequently than patients with active syndrome (p
- Published
- 2005