Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Methods for Quantitative Detection of Antibody-induced Complement Activation on Red Blood Cells
Published on: January 29, 2014
Severe refractory idiopathic warm autoimmune haemolytic anaemia responsive to complement inhibition with eculizumab
Lucy Neave1, Andrew J Wilson1,2, Maxine Lissack2
1Department of Haematology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Abstract:
We report a case of severe idiopathic warm autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (wAIHA) which was initially poorly responsive to treatment with corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, mycophenolate mofetil and rituximab, and required transfusion of more than 30 units of red cells over 12 weeks. Off-label use of the terminal complement pathway inhibitor, eculizumab, led to rapid amelioration of the haemolysis, presumably by the inhibition of an intravascular component, and allowed time for slower acting immunosuppressive agent to take effect. This novel approach warrants further evaluation, given the poor prognosis of multirefractory wAIHA.
Related Concept Videos
Complement System
Feedback Inhibition
Complementation Tests
Organisms heterozygous for different mutations are crossed pairwise in all combinations. If present on different genes, the mutations can complement each other by providing the missing...
Autoimmune Disorders
Concept and Mechanism of Autoimmune Diseases
The immune...
Humoral Immune Responses
Enzyme Inhibition

