title: Prevalence and clinical significance of circulating cryoglobulins in HIV-positive patients with and without co-infection with hepatitis C virus.
abstract: Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a recognized cause of circulating cryoglobulins, the role of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the pathogenesis of cryoglobulinemia has not been investigated extensively. To evaluate the prevalence of circulating cryoglobulins and to assess the relationship with clinical and virological parameters, 162 HIV-positive subjects (84 anti-HCV(+)) were tested for cryoglobulins, C3, C4, RF, autoantibodies, HIV-viral titer, and CD4(+) count. Anti-HCV-positive subjects were tested for HCV-RNA, HCV-viral titer, and HCV genotype. All patients were examined for the presence of signs or symptoms of vasculitis and tested for cryoglobulins using a standard biochemical assay. Cryoglobulins were found in 30 (18.5%) cases. Of the 30 positive cases, 29 (96.7%) were anti-HCV-positive and 28 (93.3%) HCV-RNA-positive. The presence of cryoglobulins was significantly associated (P < 0.01) with HCV-RNA positivity (OR = 27), liver cirrhosis (OR = 16), decreased levels of C3 (OR = 8.6), C4 (OR = 13.6), increased levels of IgG and IgM (OR = 6.1 and 7.9, respectively), and RF positivity (OR = 6.3), but was unrelated to CD4(+) cell count, HIV viral load, diagnosis of AIDS, HCV viral load and the presence of autoantibodies. Interestingly, the presence of cryoglobulins was not significantly associated with signs and symptoms commonly associated with cryoglobulinemia. In conclusion, HIV infection does not seem to play a significant role in the production of circulating cryoglobulins, which strongly correlates with HCV co-infection and liver cirrhosis. Typical signs and symptoms of cryoglobulinemia do not correlate with the detection of circulating cryoglobulins in HIV and HCV patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, S. Bortolo Hospital, Vicenza, Italy. pfabris@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fabris
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tositti
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Giordani
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romanò
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Betterle
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pignattari
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tagliaferri
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muratori
authors.forename: Vinicio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Manfrin
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Lalla
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003450:Cryoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D003450:Cryoglobulins; D012367:RNA, Viral