[The characteristics of the clinical course of nephritis in patients with cryoglobulinemia].

Cryoglobulins were measured spectrophotometrically in the sera of 40 patients with renal diseases. 18 of them had chronic glomerulonephritis, 14 lupus nephritis and 8 nephritis. 20 patients with high concentration of cryoglobulins (100-600 micrograms/ml) exhibited high incidence of nephrotic syndrome (80%), arterial hypertension (90%), creatininemia (70%) and, respectively, 25, 25 and 15% of patients free of cryoglobulinemia. There was a correlation between cryoglobulins level and creatininemia (r = 0.468), proteinuria (r = 0.478), ESR (r = 0.393), systolic and diastolic arterial pressure (r = 0.393 and r = 342, respectively). An inverse relation existed with serum albumins (r = -0.526). Progression of renal failure was associated with high cryoglobulinemia. In decline of cryoglobulins content there was clinical improvement, lowering or normalization of blood creatinin levels.