Autoimmune hemolytic anemia in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients treated with fludarabine

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AHA) is a frequent complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Although the pathogenesis of AHA is still unknown, an imbalance of normal residual T cells is believed to play a central role. Since fludarabine is reported to affect primarily T lymphocytes, we conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the incidence and outcome of AHA in 112 CLL patients treated with fludarabine alone. Eight patients had AHA before therapy; only one achieved remission of both CLL and AHA after fludarabine alone. In the other seven patients, we observed no effect or even a worsening of AHA, although the CLL was responding to fludarabine. Five patients developed AHA from 1 to 19 months after fludarabine therapy while the CLL was responding. One additional patient developed pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) 3 months after starting therapy. Most patients in both groups responded to steroids or other immunosuppressive therapy. The study showed that in these patients, AHA evolved independently of CLL and was not affected by fludarabine.