Table 1 Virological, epidemiological, histological, laboratory, and clinical characteristics of chronically HCV-infected patients with and without cryoglobulinemic vasculitis

Virology

 Serum HCV RNA

36 (100)

24 (100)

  • Titer (log IU/ml)

5.9 (4.3 to 6.9)

6.2 (5.9 to 6.7)

NS

 Serum HCV core protein

36 (100)

24 (100)

  • Titer (pg/ml)

15 (0.8 to 130)

46 (0.2 to 385)

0.08

 HCV genotype

  • Genotype 1

21 (58)

14 (58)

NS

  • Genotype 2

15 (42)

8 (33)

NS

  • Genotype 3

0

2 (9)

NS

 Anti-HCV antibodies

36 (100)

24 (100)

 HBsAg

0

0

 Anti-HIV antibodies

0

0

Epidemiology

 Sex: male/female (ratio)

9/27 (0.33)

16/8 (2)

0.003

 Age (years)

58.3 ± 9.5

55.2 ± 14.9

NS

 Blood/blood product transfusion

12 (33)

9 (37.5)

NS

 Liver histology (METAVIR scoring system)

 F0

2 (5.6)

0

NS

 F1

6 (16.7)

4 (16.7)

NS

 F2

11 (30.5)

9 (37.5)

NS

 F3

8 (22.2)

4 (16.7)

NS

 F4

9 (25)

7 (29.1)

NS

Laboratory

 Cryocrit (%)

4 (1 to 34)

0

 Immunochemical type

  II

33 (91.7)

  III

3 (8.3)

 RF (IU/ml, ≤20)

101 (2 to 2,950)

12 (2 to 28)

<0.0001

Immunoglobulins

 IgM (mg/dl, 40 to 230)

294 (73 to 1,050)

142 (28 to 201)

<0.0001

Complement fractions

 C1q (mg/dl, 21 to 39)

37 (34 to 75)

28 (23 to 46)

NS

 C3 (mg/dl, 90 to 180)

102 (44 to 167)

101 (85 to 109)

NS

 C4 (mg/dl, 10 to 40)

2.5 (1 to 19)

14 (9 to 20)

<0.0001

 ALT (IU/l, ≤30)

59.5 (33 to 124)

83 (63 to 231)

NS

Peripheral lymphocytogram

 CD20 (%, 10.2 ± 5.4)

15.5 (5.5 to 81)

10.3 (7 to 25)

0.04

Circulating B-cell clonalities

 Monoclonal

21 (58.4)

0

<0.0001

 Oligoclonal

12 (33.3)

2 (8.3)

0.03

 Polyclonal

3 (8.3)

22 (91.7)

<0.0001

Clinical features

 Palpable purpura

27 (75)

0

 Weakness

24 (66.7)

4 (16.7)

 Arthralgias/nonerosive arthritis

27 (75)

3 (12.5)

 Cutaneous ulcers

21 (58.3)

1 (4.2)

 Peripheral neuropathies

18 (50)

0

 Renal disease

9 (25)

0