[Chronic cold agglutinin disease terminating in primary macroglobulinemia after a 10 year history]

A 60-year-old man was admitted with general fatigue and jaundice of one year's duration in February, 1981. The hemoglobin (Hb) was 11.4 g/dl and reticulocytes were 1.7%. A diagnosis of chronic cold agglutinin disease (CCAD) was made from the presence of cold agglutinin (CA) 1:2,048, increased serum IgM 267 mg/dl and indirect bilirubin 1.4 mg/dl. His Hb was approximately 11 g/dl in summer and 9 g/dl in winter for the subsequent ten years without therapy. In July, 1990, he was readmitted because of exacerbation of anemia and hepatosplenomegaly. The Hb was 4.6 g/dl, indirect bilirubin 3. 1 mg/dl, CA titer 1:232,144 and reticulocytes were 20%. Serum IgM was 1,065 mg/dl, and immunoelectrophoresis showed IgM-kappa M-protein. Peripheral blood lymphoid cells expressed surface membrane immunoglobulin (SmIg) M and kappa. The bone marrow showed an increased number of lymphoid cells which also expressed SmIg M and kappa. These findings were compatible with those of the features of primary macroglobulinemia (PMG). The M-2 protocol resulted in decrease in serum IgM and CA, but he died of heart failure in February, 1991. The relationship between CCAD and PMG in relation to the pathogenesis was discussed.