A disease called cryoglobulinemia has a dangerously high probability of severe kidney damage. Under certain conditions, specific serum globulins begin to precipitate on the walls of blood vessels, causing their thrombosis. At first, cryoglobulinemia appears as purpura on the skin, but later cryoglobulins can lead to blockage of capillary vessels in the kidneys and to acute renal failure. It is very important for a doctor to know the first symptoms of cryoglobulinemia, since timely treatment can prevent complications of the disease.
Cryoglobulins precipitate (precipitate) on vessel walls at temperatures below 37 °C, and when it rises, they tend to dissolve. 40% of the population has a fairly high concentration of cryoglobulins in the blood serum, but they do not precipitate and do not lead to pathological changes in the tissues. However, under certain conditions, this process is disrupted, and systemic vasculitis develops – when cryoglobulinemic immune complexes begin to deposit on the walls of blood vessels and clog them.
Causes of cryoglobulinemia and symptoms of the disease
Among the reasons for the deposition of cryoglobulinemic immune complexes on the walls of blood vessels, the following can be distinguished:
- infectious diseases (herpes, hepatitis, HIV);
- systemic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis);
- parasitic and fungal infections (syphilis, infective endocarditis);
- severe hypothermia of the body;
- hormonal disorders;
- severe dehydration.
Aging age is thought to increase the risk of developing cryoglobulinemia.
Active hyperproduction of cryoglobulins leads to the deposition of immune complexes on the walls of small vessels of various organs. The vascular walls are damaged and inflamed, the blood coagulation factor increases, and capillary microthrombosis is formed.
Symptoms of cryoglobulinemia:
- hemorrhagic rash (purpura) on thighs, legs, abdomen, buttocks;
- cold urticaria;
- mesh livedo;
- Raynaud's syndrome;
- acrocyanosis;
- symmetrical migratory polyarthralgias;
- joint pain.
Some patients develop ulcers of the lower extremities, hemorrhagic necrosis of the skin and even gangrene of the fingertips are possible.
Treatment of cryoglobulinemia and probable prognosis of the development of the disease
The treatment of cryoglobulinemia is based primarily on the treatment of the underlying disease that caused vascular problems.
Medical therapy includes corticosteroids and cytostatics, and after remission is achieved, maintenance treatment with antivirals is recommended. In the case of resistant forms of cryoglobulinemia, the use of rituximab has proven itself well. Patients are recommended plasmapheresis procedures.
The prognosis of cryoglobulinemia depends on the severity of damage to internal organs, and prevention is reduced to the prevention of infectious diseases.
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