PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Kolli, Himabindu
AU  - Ali, Mukarram Jamat
AU  - Campoverde Reyes, Karen J
AU  - Lau, Daryl T-Y
TI  - Case of cryoglobulinaemia associated with chronic hepatitis B
AID  - 10.1136/bcr-2022-249630
DP  - 2022 May 01
TA  - BMJ Case Reports
PG  - e249630
VI  - 15
IP  - 5
4099  - http://casereports.bmj.com/content/15/5/e249630.short
4100  - http://casereports.bmj.com/content/15/5/e249630.full
SO  - BMJ Case Reports2022 May 01; 15
AB  - We present a case of a woman in her 50s with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who had a longstanding history of arthralgia and swollen joints associated with severe fatigue. Investigations were consistent with a diagnosis of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cryoglobulinaemia. Two months after treatment with tenofovir alafenamide, an antiviral therapy for HBV, there was a significant improvement of her symptoms and undetectable serum cryoglobulins. Cryoglobulinaemia is a relatively rare extrahepatic manifestation of HBV infection and only presents in about 2%–4% of the patients with CHB. Its clinical manifestations include purpura, renal dysfunction, arthralgias and neuropathy. Since the presentation of cryoglobulinaemia in CHB can be non-specific, one needs to have a high index of suspicion to avoid delay in diagnosis and treatment.