title: Cryoglobulinemia in transfusion-dependent thalassemia major.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of cryoglobulinemia and associated symptoms in transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients at high risk for HCV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A controlled epidemiological study was used to evaluate the prevalence of clinical, biochemical and immunological abnormalities in a group of 264 HCV-positive and 106 HCV-negative transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients. Haematologic and hepatic function tests were performed according to standard methods. HCV-RNA was detected by PCR analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The significant presence of cryoglobulinemia and associated symptoms (purpura, vasculitis, arthritis, asthenia, proteinuria), serum autoantibodies (SMA, anti-GOR, ANA, LKM), low complement and rheumatoid factor were found in HCV-positive compared with HCV-negative patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates the role of HCV in inducing cryoglobulinemia and immunological disorders in transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients. HCV infection and associated immune abnormalities are a new clinical aspect of, and deserve particular attention due to their high frequency in, transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica e Biologia dell'Età Evolutiva, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dessì
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Clemente
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Diana
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Congia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frau
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Mazzoleni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balestrieri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cengiarotti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers