[Autoimmune hemolytic anemia and ulcerative colitis]

Although several associations of autoimmune disorders with ulcerative colitis have been reported, autoimmune hemolytic anemia is extremely rare. We report a case of a 35 year-old white woman with a twelve-year history of mild ulcerative colitis treated in the last 5 years with 5-amino-salycilic acid who developed a severe autoimmune hemolytic anemia. We discuss some particular aspects of the association of these two immunologically mediated disorders as well as the controversial aspects of autoimmune hemolytic anemia therapy in this context.