Dammacco and Sansonno proposed a management algorithm for patients with HCV-related cryoglobulinemia. The authors are from the University of Bari in Italy.
Patient selection: patient with cryoglobulinemia secondary to HCV
Parameters:
(1) clinical status cryoglobulinemic vasculitis
(2) malignant lymphoma
Clinical Status |
Management |
asymptomatic |
monitor with or without antiviral therapy |
cutaneous findings only (no organ damage) |
antiviral therapy with or without corticosteroids |
organ damage |
antiviral therapy AND corticosteroids AND B-cell depleting monoclonal antibody |
rapidly progressive or life-threatening |
plasmapheresis AND corticosteroids AND B-cell depleting monoclonal antibody with or without cyclophosphamide, followed by antiviral therapy |
where:
• B-cell depleting monoclonal antibodies are rituximab or ofatumumab
• Low to moderate doses of corticosteroids can help to reduce symptoms.
• Cyclophosphamide can be helpful in life-threatening cases but increases the risk of infection.
If the patient develops a non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma then therapy consists of:
(1) antiviral therapy
(2) rituximab
(3) addition of chemotherapy if lymphoma recurrent or resistant
Purpose: To manage a patient with HCV-related cryoglobulinemia based on the algorithm of Dammacco and Sansonno.
Specialty: Immunology/Rheumatology, Clinical Laboratory, Hematology Oncology
Objective: clinical diagnosis, including family history for genetics, complications
ICD-10: B17.1, B18.2, D89.1,