Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

Also written as AIHA.

A warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia will often produce intravascular hemolysis with hemoglobinemia that will more often lead to renal failure.

What our notes say

• A warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia will often produce intravascular hemolysis with hemoglobinemia that will more often lead to renal failure. (hematopathology — Past Paper Questions & Answers)

Study material on Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

• hematopathology

Practice questions on Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

In a patient with warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (WAIHA) and a pan-reactive antibody screen, which method is used to detect underlying alloantibodies if the patient has been transfused in the last 3 months?

• Autologous adsorption
• Allogeneic adsorption using phenotype-matched cells
• Acid elution
• Saline replacement technique

Answer: B. Autologous adsorption can't be used in recently transfused patients (donor cells would adsorb the alloantibody too). Allogeneic adsorption with phenotype-matched cells removes the autoantibody while preserving detectable alloantibodies.

Most common cause of warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia?

• CLL
• SLE
• Idiopathic
• Lymphoma
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection

Answer: C. Over 50% of warm AIHA cases have no identifiable cause.

Related topics

• Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria
• Leukocyte Alkaline Phosphatase
• Aldrich Syndrome
• Direct Antiglobulin Test
• Delayed Hemolytic Transfusion Reaction
• Costovertebral Angle
• Methylmalonic Acid
• Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura
• Immune Thrombocytopenia
• Aplastic Anemia