A Case of Cryoglobulinemia-induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

한냉글로불린혈증 환자에서 발생한 급성호흡곤란증후군 1예

Cryoglobulinemia is the presence of globulins in the serum that precipitate on exposure to cold temperatures(cryoglobulins). Pulmonary complications of cryoglobulinemia include interstial infiltration, impaired gas exchange, small airway disease and pleurisy. Only one other acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) case has been described in patients with cryoglobulinemia. A 55-years old man was admitted with dyspnea. He had been diagnosed as being a hepatitis B virus antigen carrier 15 years ago. On the first admission, chest radiography showed a bilateral pleural effusion and a patchy infiltration on both lungs. On protein- and immuno-electrophoresis, cryoglobulinemia was confirmed. The patient was treated with corticosteroid and plasmapheresis. Forty-five days after the diagnosis, the patient complained of progressive dyspnea and showed a diffuse bilateral pulmonary infiltration on chest radiography. Despite intensive care with mechanical ventilation, the patient died as consequence of hypoxemia and multiple systemic organ failure. On a pathologic examination of the postmortem lung biopsy, multiple necrotizing vasculitis and increased infiltration of the lymphocytes and monocytes were observed. In conclusion, ARDS developed as a result of pulmonary hemorrhage due to cryoglobulinemia-associated vasculitis.

한냉글로불린혈증에 의한 급성호흡곤란증후군은 극히 드문 것으로 보고되었다. 저자 등은 B형 간염을 가진 환자에서, 한냉글로불린혈증과 그에 인한 급성호흡곤란 증후군이 발생한 1예를 경험하였기에 보고하는 바이다.