Also known as: Liver inflammation
The central diagnosis of the episode. A 42-year-old political consultant presents with palpable purpura, liver damage (elevated ALT/AST), kidney failure, clotting issues, and pulmonary edema. The Hep C is masked by cryoglobulins producing false negative tests. Ultimately treated with Hepatitis A to stimulate immune response, a risky treatment with 85% mortality rate but 15% chance of cure.
Found in the patient's blood, these abnormal proteins cause the purpuric rash and interfere with Hepatitis C testing by causing false negatives, complicating the diagnosis.
Also known as: Mini-stroke
During plasmapheresis treatment, the patient experiences temporary paralysis and speech loss due to a clot that breaks up before imaging can detect it, adding urgency to finding the underlying cause.