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Updated: Jan 29, 2026

Immunoglobulin Gene Sequence Analysis In Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: From Patient Material To Sequence Interpretation
Published on: November 26, 2018
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Presenting as a Subcortical Watershed Infarct
Mridul Gupta1, Divita Singh2, Patrick Lee3
1Internal Medicine, Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, New Jersey, USA.
This study reports an extremely rare case of watershed infarcts caused by autoimmune hemolytic anemia secondary to chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This highlights a novel, albeit rare, presentation of CLL complications.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Hematology
- Oncology
Background:
- Internal watershed infarcts (WI) typically result from low blood flow or microembolism affecting the middle cerebral artery's white matter.
- Anemia is a rare cause of WI, with even fewer documented cases of hemolytic anemia leading to cerebral infarcts.
Observation:
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) often presents with secondary autoimmune cytopenias, including autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA).
- AIHA occurs in 7-10% of CLL patients.
Findings:
- This case details an extremely rare instance of AIHA secondary to CLL presenting as internal watershed infarcts.
- To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of CLL-induced AIHA manifesting as WI.
Implications:
- This case expands the spectrum of neurological complications associated with CLL.
- It underscores the importance of considering hematological causes, particularly AIHA in CLL patients, when evaluating unexplained watershed infarcts.
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