Etiologic treatment of hepatitis C virus-associated mixed cryoglobulinemia.

The treatment of mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) includes several drugs--steroids, cyclosporins, colchicine, plasmapheresis--but given the documented association between MC and hepatitis C virus (HCV), the treatment of choice seems to be antiviral therapy. Several authors have reported the efficacy of interferon (IFN) alpha in the inhibition of HCV replication and reduction of cryoglobulin levels. The therapy with IFN as monotherapy in MC shows a complete response rate in only 10 -12% of cases.