Observations on cryoglobulin testing: II. The association of oligoclonal mixed cryoglobulinemia with cirrhosis in patients infected with hepatitis C virus.

Objective: To determine whether a mixed cryoglobulin type correlated with cirrhosis in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Methods: We investigated the results of mixed cryoglobulin tests performed in the clinical laboratory on patients with and without HCV infection.

Results: A higher prevalence of oligoclonal cryoglobulins designated Type IIa was present in HCV-infected patients with cirrhosis than in those without cirrhosis.

Conclusion: An association of Type IIa cryoglobulins with cirrhosis in HCV-infected patients has not previously been reported.