Cryoglobulinemia aociated with Purtcher-like retinopathy

PURPOE: To report a cae of Purtcher-like retinopathy in a young man with chronic hepatiti C–aociated cryoglobulinemia. METHOD: Cae report. REULT: A 44-year-old Caucaian man with chronic hepatiti C developed udden lo of viion in the left eye and abdominal pain. Ocular fundu examination revealed peripapillary cotton-wool pot and uperficial retinal whitening in the macula. ytemic evaluation revealed markedly elevated rheumatoid factor, hypertenion, and acute renal inufficiency. A renal biopy demontrated intravacular depoition of immunoglobulin IgG and IgM and complement conitent with type II mixed cryoglobulinemia. CONCLUION: Clinician hould conider cryoglobulinemia in the differential diagnoi of a patient with Purtcher-like retinopathy and hitory of infection with hepatiti C.