title: Colchicine in the treatment of mixed cryoglobulinemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The best treatment for cryoglobulinemic syndrome (CS) is still an unsolved problem. Recently colchicine has been successfully used to treat vasculitides and other immune-mediated diseases. Therefore, we undertook to treat 17 CS patients with colchicine (1 mg/day for 6-48 months), 8 of them with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia (EMC) and 9 with CS secondary to liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all patients the clinical and laboratory features were evaluated at the beginning of the study and during the first 6-12 months; 10 cases were followed for a longer period (18-48 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the first period symptoms improved as follows: purpura in 15 of 17 patients, weakness in 9 of 14 and leg ulcers in 3 of 5. Hepatic and renal function tests, hypocomplementemia, rheumatoid factor (RF) titres and the cryocrit also improved. Prolonged follow-up showed a relapse in the different variables, although they remained at better levels than at the beginning. Only the cryocrit showed a further reduction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Though this was a preliminary open study it shows that colchicine is an efficient treatment in CS and suggests that a controlled clinical study should be performed to assess its real value.
authors.affiliation: I Division of Medicine, Saronno Hospital, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saccardo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Petrozzino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gomitoni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Invernizzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D011693:Purpura / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D003078:Colchicine