Cryoglobulin Antibodies Causes Cryoglobulinemia, Cryoglobulinemic Vasculitis

Cryoglobulinemia is a health condition that’s caused by cryoglobulins in your blood. Cryoglobulins are abnormal antibodies which gel and thicken in low temperatures.

Why these cryoglobulin proteins act like jello is unknown. But when they do, blood vessel blockage, damage and inflammation can result. Consequently, cryoglobulinemia is a cause of vasculitis, known as cryoglobulinemic vasculitis.

Cryoglobulinemia is grouped into type I, II & III because the antibodies that are produced differ. Types II and III are also mentioned as mixed cryoglobulinemia.

Cryoglobulinemia may or may not be associated with other diseases. However, most with mixed cryoglobulinemia suffer from a chronic hepatitis C infection.

Some other health issues in the realm of blood cancers, inflammatory conditions, connective tissue disorders or autoimmune diseases may be related to cryoglobulinemia, like:

Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis has been found to accompany certain viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections as well, such as:

Your symptoms caused by cryoglobulin antibodies will vary depending on the type your have and your organs affected.  In general, some of the symptoms caused by cold induced cryoglobulin clumps are:

A couple health complications that can arise out of your antibody gelatinous obstruction include:

Very often treating your underlying cause of cryoglobulinemia relieves the symptoms of this vasculitis. Also, avoiding cold temperatures is a must.

Severe cryoglobulinemia is treated with corticosteroids and other immunosuppressant drugs. And your treatment of cryoglobulin antibodies may require plasmapheresis.

For many, cryoglobulinemia doesn’t cause death. Yet, the leading cause of mortality related to cryoglobulins is kidneys that fail.

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