Cryoglobulinemia

Treatment

Because cryoglobulinemia is rare, there are few standard treatments for symptomatic cryoglobulinemia. The goal of treatment is to limit organ damage. Treatment depends on the type, cause and severity of your symptoms.

• If you don't have symptoms, your doctor may recommend careful monitoring rather than treatment.
• If you have mild to moderate symptoms, your doctor may recommend steroids, anti-inflammatory medicines, medicines that suppress your immune system, and sometimes low-dose chemotherapy to control the symptoms.
• If you have severe symptoms, your doctor may also recommend plasmapheresis. This treatment reduces cryoglobulins by exchanging the blood plasma (which contains much of the cryoglobulins) for donor plasma or a replacement fluid.
• If you have moderate or severe symptoms, you may also be treated with man-made antibodies (monoclonal antibodies), often in combination with chemotherapy.