[Refractory idiopathic cold agglutinin disease successfully treated with intermittent high-dose cyclophosphamide]

A 56-year-old woman, who had been suffering from idiopathic cold agglutinin disease and treated unsuccessfully with prednisolone and cyclosporine A for 6 months, was referred to our hospital in November 1998. She was given methylprednisolone pulse therapy followed by low-dose cyclophosphamide, but her anemia did not improve. We then began administration of intermittent high-dose cyclophosphamide (1,200 mg/day, every 4 weeks), and this resulted in a dramatic increase of her hemoglobin level and improvement of her symptoms. She is currently receiving 500 mg of cyclophosphamide every 2 months and showing a good response. Intermittent high-dose cyclophosphamide therapy can be an effective treatment for refractory cold agglutinin disease.