Abstract
Objectives. A new rapid, automatic, and sensitive screening test useful to detect cryoglobulins in serum samples is proposed. Design and Methods. The increase of turbidity during the cryoglobulin aggregation was monitored spectrophotometrically in sera from 400 patients with clinical evidence of cryoglobulinemia related disorders and 100 controls. Results were correlated to those obtained by the traditional method. Results. Kinetics of the aggregation curves were described by their maximum turbidity increase, lag time, and slope. Despite a partial correspondence between the traditional and the rapid test, patients with symptomatic cryoglobulinemia showed turbidity values significantly higher than the determined cutoff. Moreover, a functional classification of cryoglobulins is proposed. Conclusions. Due to its high reproducibility, operator independence, low cost, and results obtained within 2 hours, the rapid test can be used as a “real time” monitoring of cryoglobulinemia related diseases and for the evaluation of plasmapheresis efficacy.
Highlights
Cryoglobulins are immunoglobulins that precipitate at temperature below 37∘C and redissolve on rewarming [1,2,3,4]
Due to its high reproducibility, operator independence, low cost, and results obtained within 2 hours, the rapid test can be used as a “real time” monitoring of cryoglobulinemia related diseases and for the evaluation of plasmapheresis efficacy
Type I represents individual monoclonal immunoglobulins, generally associated with lymphoproliferative diseases; type II consists of mixed immunoglobulins with a monoclonal component and is strongly associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection; type III is constituted by a mixture of polyclonal immunoglobulins and is associated mainly with a wide range of infectious, autoimmune, and liver diseases
Summary
Cryoglobulins are immunoglobulins that precipitate at temperature below 37∘C and redissolve on rewarming [1,2,3,4]. The interest in these proteins has been growing because of their association with a number of diseases, including lymphoproliferative and autoimmune disorders and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection [1, 5,6,7,8,9,10]. Type I represents individual monoclonal immunoglobulins, generally associated with lymphoproliferative diseases; type II consists of mixed immunoglobulins with a monoclonal component and is strongly associated with HCV infection; type III is constituted by a mixture of polyclonal immunoglobulins and is associated mainly with a wide range of infectious, autoimmune, and liver diseases. It has been proposed that cryoprecipitation occurs because of the rapid formation of cold-insoluble IgM-IgG immune complexes [16, 17] or by a decreasing solubility phenomenon, resulting from an unfavorable interaction between cryoglobulins and solvent at low temperatures [18]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
