G. Preeti1, Kalyani Srinivas2, M. Alumelu3, Arif Nathan4, Gopal Singh5
The hemolytic anemia brought about by autoimmune antibodies against red cells resulting in shortening of red cell survival. And excessive erythropoiesis as a compensatory response of the marrow is autoimmune hemolytic anemia. There are two types due to warm antibodies and cold antibodies. Warm antibodies mediated anemia has hemolysis in spleen mediated by IgG antibody. Macrophage Fc receptor can detect IgG coated red cells in absence of C 3b. It acts in the range of 37-42deg c.(1) Cold antibody mediated anemia is mediated by IgM antibody, they bind avidly at 4 deg c. carry hemolysis at low temp. Liver is the major site of hemolysis. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia presents as sudden onset of pallor, jaundice, dark coloured urine, and hepato splenomegaly. In 5 cases cold antibodies were positive, 3 cases warm were positive too. 4 of the 5 cases were females and steroids were effective in management of cold auto immune hemolytic anemia.
