Symptoms:

Symptoms vary depending on the type of cryoglobulinemia and the organs that are affected. In general, symptoms may include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Glomerulonephritis
• Joint pain
• Muscle pain
• Purpura
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• Skin death
• Skin ulceration

Signs and tests:

The doctor will perform a physical exam. There may be signs of liver and spleen swelling.

Tests for cryoglobulinemia include:

• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Complement assay -- numbers will be low
• Cryoglobulin test -- may show presence of cryoglobulins
• Liver function tests -- may be high
• Rheumatoid factor -- positive in types II and III
• Skin biopsy
• Urinalysis -- may show blood in the urine if the kidneys are affected

Other tests may include:

• Angiogram
• Chest x-ray
• ESR
• Hepatitis C test
• Nerve conduction tests, if the person has weakness in the arms or legs
• Protein electrophoresis - blood