The heart in essential mixed cryoglobulinemia

Overview
Patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia may sustain myocardial infarction but it is often clinically silent, and affects less than 8.5% of these patients. Congestive heart failure may be observed in up to 30% of the patients with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia. In some patients, congestive heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction are reversible and plasmapheresis may hasten recovery.

Pericarditis, mitral insufficiency and/or aortic insufficiency are seen occasionally essential mixed cryoglobulinemia.