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Serologic findings in autoimmune hemolytic anemia associated with immunoglobulin M warm autoantibodies
Author(s) -
Arndt Patricia A.,
Leger Regina M.,
Garratty George
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
transfusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.045
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1537-2995
pISSN - 0041-1132
DOI - 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2008.01957.x
Subject(s) - autoimmune hemolytic anemia , serology , autoantibody , medicine , immunology , cold agglutinin , antibody , coombs test , hemolytic anemia , immunoglobulin m , immunoglobulin g , gastroenterology
BACKGROUND: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) associated with immunoglobulin M (IgM) warm autoantibodies is unusual but often severe, with more fatalities than other types of AIHA. Diagnosing this type of AIHA can be difficult because routine serologic data are not always informative. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Forty‐nine cases of IgM warm AIHA in 25 years were studied by serologic methods. RESULTS: Routine direct antiglobulin tests (DATs) detected red blood cell (RBC)‐bound C3 in 90 percent of cases (65% had C3 but no immunoglobulin G [IgG] on their RBCs) and IgG in 24 percent. IgM was detected on 29 of 47 (62%) patients' RBCs; RBC‐bound IgM was detected in 14 of 47 cases by a tube DAT method and in an additional 15 of 21 (71%) cases using fluorescein isothiocyanate anti‐IgM and flow cytometry. Eighty‐one percent of eluates from patients' RBCs reacted. Warm autoagglutinins were present in 94 percent of serum samples; untreated and enzyme‐treated RBCs were hemolyzed at 37°C by 13 and 65 percent of serum samples, respectively. Most agglutinins were optimally reactive at 30 to 37°C. Patients' RBCs were spontaneously agglutinated in 78 percent of cases; washing with 37°C saline or treating RBCs with dithiothreitol resolved this problem. Clear specificity of autoantibody was defined in 35 percent of serum samples. CONCLUSION: IgM warm AIHA can be confused with cold agglutinin syndrome and “mixed/combined”‐type AIHA; a serologic workup by a specialist reference laboratory can help with the diagnosis.