Mixed cryoglobulinemia due to chronic hepatitis C with severe pulmonary involvement.
Pulmonary involvement in cryoglobulinemia usually is mild. We present a rare case of severe lung involvement in mixed cryoglobulinemia. A 73-year-old woman with cryoglobulinemic glomerulonephritis was admitted. Dyspnea appeared suddenly two days later. She received the diagnosis of acute lung injury according to the concept proposed by the American-European Consensus Conference. Management required corticosteroid pulse therapy and plasma exchange. This case is the first description of successful early and long-term management of severe lung involvement observed in cryoglobulinemia. Although she has been free of chest symptoms for seven months, further follow-up may be necessary to assess the potential danger of relapse.
Suzuki
Ryuji
R
Division of Nephrology, the Department of Medicine, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, Yokohama.
Morita
Hiroyuki
H
Komukai
Daisuke
D
Hasegawa
Takeshi
T
Nakao
Naoyuki
N
Ideura
Terukuni
T
Yoshimura
Ashio
A
D000368:Aged; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000150:complications*