Cold agglutinin disease: where do we stand, and where are we going?

Primary cold agglutinin disease (CAD) is characterized by a very indolent bone marrow clonal B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder that initiates an autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The clonal B cells produce a monoclonal autoantibody termed cold agglutinin, most often of the immunoglobulin (Ig) Mκ class. After binding to its antigen, the IgM initiates a complement classical pathway-driven erythrocyte destruction, predominantly mediated by opsonization with complement protein C3b and extravascular hemolysis in the liver. We review the molecular biology, histopathology, clinical features, and diagnostic procedures in CAD. Some patients are only slightly anemic and do not require treatment, but moderate or severe anemia frequently occurs, and the disease burden has been underestimated. CAD should not be treated with corticosteroids. Several B-cell-directed treatment options are available, and complement-directed approaches are being rapidly developed. Current and possible future therapies are reviewed.