Assessment of Free Light Chains in HCV positive patients undergoing Rituximab treatment

Mixed Cryoglobulinemia (MC) is an HCV-related lymphoproliferative disorder possibly associated with a clinically evident Mixed Cryoglobulinemia Syndrome (MCS) secondary to systemic vasculitis of small vessels and including abnormal values of Rheumatoid Factor (RF) and C4Complement. Treatment with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) Rituximab (RTX) proved to be very useful, especially in patients ineligible or intolerant to Interferone (IFN). Recently, free light chain (FLC) к/λ ratio and FLC patterns were associated with the presence of MCS and/or B-non Hodgkin's lymphoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in FLC-K, FCL-λ, FLC-ratio, C4, and RF following RTX treatment in HCV+ MCS and to correlate FLC-K, FCL-L, FLC-r values with therapy response.