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Updated: Sep 20, 2026
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Detection and Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA
Published on: December 15, 2023
Detection, using a novel method, of a high prevalence of cryoglobulinemia in persistent hepatitis C virus infection
Chiaki Okuse1, Hiroshi Yotsuyanagi, Toshio Okazaki
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, 2-6-11, Sugao, Miyamae-ku, 216-8512, Kawasaki, Japan
Insights
Cryoglobulinemia is common in hepatitis C patients, with a higher prevalence detected using a sensitive gel-diffusion method. This condition, cryoglobulinemia (CG), was found in 70.7% of hepatitis C patients, though symptoms were rare.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Immunology
- Virology
Background:
- Cryoglobulinemia (CG) is associated with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.
- Accurate prevalence data are crucial for understanding CG's significance in HCV.
- Conventional detection methods may underestimate CG prevalence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and significance of cryoglobulinemia in hepatitis C virus carriers.
- To compare CG detection rates using a sensitive gel-diffusion method versus conventional precipitation.
- To investigate factors associated with CG positivity in HCV patients.
Main Methods:
- Serum cryoglobulin (CG) was assessed in 232 HCV carriers, 30 HBV carriers, and 100 healthy volunteers.
- A gel-diffusion procedure was employed for sensitive CG detection.
- Conventional precipitation method was used for comparison in a subset of patients.
Main Results:
- The gel-diffusion method detected CG in 70.7% of HCV carriers, significantly higher than the 36.1% by precipitation.
- CG was more prevalent in chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis patients than asymptomatic carriers.
- CG positivity correlated with low CH50 levels but not viral serogroup, viral load, or antinuclear antibodies.
Conclusions:
- Cryoglobulinemia is a very common finding in chronic hepatitis C.
- The sensitive gel-diffusion method reveals a higher prevalence of CG in HCV than previously reported.
- Despite high prevalence, symptomatic cryoglobulinemia is infrequent in HCV patients.
Abstract:
To elucidate precisely the prevalence and significance of cryoglobulinemia in hepatitis C, we examined the prevalence of serum cryoglobulin (CG) among 232 consecutive hepatitis C virus carriers (23 asymptomatic carriers, 164 with chronic hepatitis, 45 with cirrhosis), 30 consecutive hepatitis B virus carriers and 100 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. We used a gel-diffusion procedure that detects CG with greater sensitivity and specificity than the conventional precipitation method. Among the 232 patients, 166 were tested for the presence or absence of CG by the precipitation method also, which showed 60 (36.1%) patients to be positive for CG. On the other hand, 164 of the 232 patients (70.7%) were positive for CG using the diffusion method. 5 (16.7%) of the 30 HBV carriers and 2 (2%) of the healthy volunteers also were positive for CG using the gel-diffusion procedure. CG was detected more frequently among the patients with chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis than the asymptomatic carriers. In spite of the high prevalence of CG positivity, only one patient had symptoms related to cryoglobulinemia. Positivity for CG was not related to viral serogroup, viral load or the presence of antinuclear antibody, but it was related closely to CH50: 58 of 63 (92.1%) patients with lower levels of CH50 were positive for serum CG. In conclusion, cryoglobulinemia is a very common feature of chronic hepatitis C.
