Mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) is a rare multisystem disease whose aetiopathogenesis is not completely understood. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may have a causative role, and genetic and/or environmental factors may also contribute. AIMS: To investigate the presence and possible role of environmental agents in MC. METHODS: We recruited 30 HCV-infected MC patients with different clinical manifestations and a control group of 30 healthy, sex-/age-matched volunteers. We collected serum samples from each patient and incubated at 4°C for 7 days to obtain cryoprecipitate samples. We used environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy microanalysis to verify the presence of microparticles (MPs) and nanoparticles (NPs) in serum and cryoprecipitate samples. We evaluated environmental exposure using a medical and occupational history questionnaire for each subject. RESULTS: MC patients had a significantly higher risk of occupational exposure (OR 5.6; 95% CI 1.84-17.50) than controls. ESEM evaluation revealed a significantly higher concentration, expressed as number of positive spots (NS), of serum inorganic particles in MC patients compared with controls (mean NS 18, SD = 16 versus NS 5.4, SD = 5.1; P < 0.05). Cryoprecipitate samples of MC patients showed high concentrations of inorganic particles (mean NS 49, SD = 19). We found a strong correlation between NS and cryocrit (i.e. percentage of cryoprecipitate/total serum after centrifugation at 4°C) levels (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In addition to HCV infection, MPs and NPs might play an important role in the aetiopathogenesis of MC.
Micro and nanoparticles as possible pathogenetic co-factors in mixed cryoglobulinemia / Artoni, Erica; Sighinolfi, G. L; Gatti, A. M; Sebastiani, Marco; Colaci, Michele; Giuggioli, Dilia; Ferri, Clodoveo. - In: OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE. - ISSN 1471-8405. - 67(2017), pp. 64-67.
Data di pubblicazione: | 2017 |
Data di prima pubblicazione: | 30-set-2016 |
Titolo: | Micro and nanoparticles as possible pathogenetic co-factors in mixed cryoglobulinemia |
Autore/i: | Artoni, Erica; Sighinolfi, G. L; Gatti, A. M; Sebastiani, Marco; Colaci, Michele; Giuggioli, Dilia; Ferri, Clodoveo |
Autore/i UNIMORE: | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqw134 |
Rivista: | |
Volume: | 67 |
Pagina iniziale: | 64 |
Pagina finale: | 67 |
Codice identificativo ISI: | WOS:000397059300014 |
Codice identificativo Scopus: | 2-s2.0-85014109463 |
Codice identificativo Pubmed: | 27694373 |
Citazione: | Micro and nanoparticles as possible pathogenetic co-factors in mixed cryoglobulinemia / Artoni, Erica; Sighinolfi, G. L; Gatti, A. M; Sebastiani, Marco; Colaci, Michele; Giuggioli, Dilia; Ferri, Clodoveo. - In: OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE. - ISSN 1471-8405. - 67(2017), pp. 64-67. |
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