A Case of Idiopathic Cold Agglutinin Hemolytic Anemia Successfully Treated With Steroids

Asim Haider1, Fareeha Alavi1, Ayesha Siddiqa2

  • 1Internal Medicine, BronxCare Health System, Bronx, USA.

Cureus
|April 21, 2022
PubMed

Cold agglutinin disease (CAD) is a type of hemolytic anemia in which cold agglutinins can cause agglutination of red blood cells in cold parts of the body and hemolytic anemia. Cold agglutinin-mediated hemolytic anemia can occur in the setting of an underlying viral infection, autoimmune disorder, or lymphoid malignancy, referred to as a secondary cold agglutinin syndrome, or without one of these underlying disorders, referred to as primary CAD (also known as idiopathic CAD). We present a case of a 71-year-old female with hemolytic anemia due to primary CAD. The secondary causes of CAD, including infections, autoimmune disorders, and malignancy, were ruled out. She was successfully treated with prednisone.

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