Clinical Findings in a Patient with Cryoglobulinemia

Does the patient have a disease associated with cryoglobulins?

Do the patient's symptoms get worse in the cold and improve in warm weather?

• unexplained generalized weakness?

• abdominal pain?

• recurrent bacterial infections?

• palpable purpura?

• Raynaud's phenomenon?

• leg ulcers?

• acrocyanosis of surfaces exposed to the cold?

• livedoid vasculitis?

• distal gangrene?

• progressive renal disease?

• arthritis or polyarthralgias?

• peripheral neuropathy?

• blood that gels after collection?

• Rouleaux or coarse RBC aggregates in the cold that reverse on warming?

• increase in the MCHC?

• a markedly elevated ESR?

• high titered rheumatoid factor ?

• unexplained anemia with a positive DAT?