Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

The Basics

Written by the doctors and editors at UpToDate пїЅ пїЅ

What is autoimmune hemolytic anemia? " пїЅ Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a rare type of anemia. Anemia is the medical term for when a person has too few red blood cells. Red blood cells are the cells in your blood that carry oxygen. If you have too few red blood cells, your body does not get all the oxygen it needs. пїЅ пїЅ

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia happens due to problems with the bodys infection-fighting system, called the "immune system. " пїЅ Normally, the immune system kills germs and other bad cells that could turn into cancer. If something goes wrong and the immune system starts to attack healthy cells, it is called an "autoimmune response. " пїЅ If your immune system attacks and destroys your red blood cells, you get autoimmune hemolytic anemia. пїЅ пїЅ

What causes autoimmune hemolytic anemia? " пїЅ Doctors don't know what causes the condition in about half of the people who get it. In rare cases, certain medicines used to treat infections and pain cause autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Other possible causes include: пїЅ пїЅ

Infections such as pneumonia and mononucleosis (also called "mono " пїЅ).
Certain types of cancer, including "leukemia " пїЅ (cancers of the blood) and "lymphoma. " пїЅ Lymphomas are cancers that affect organs in the body that make and store infection-fighting cells.
Autoimmune diseases such as lupus - In people with lupus, the immune system attacks cells and organs all over the body.

But most people with these diseases do NOT get autoimmune hemolytic anemia. пїЅ пїЅ

What are the symptoms of autoimmune hemolytic anemia? " пїЅ Symptoms include: пїЅ пїЅ

A pale color in the tissue that lines the inside of the eyelid " пїЅ You can see this tissue (called "conjunctivae " пїЅ) by gently pulling down your lower eyelid. The tissue will appear pale instead of its normal, pinkish-red color.
Dark yellow urine
Feeling very tired
A fast heartbeat
Trouble breathing
Headache and muscle pains

If you have light-colored skin, your skin may become pale or yellow. пїЅ пїЅ

Is there a test for autoimmune hemolytic anemia? " пїЅ Yes. Doctors use many different blood tests to check for autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The most important one is called the "Coombs test. " пїЅ This test checks for signs of an immune attack on your red blood cells. пїЅ пїЅ

How is autoimmune hemolytic anemia treated? " пїЅ Treatments can include: пїЅ пїЅ

Medicines that make your body's immune system less active, such as prednisone
Surgery to remove an organ called the spleen (called a "splenectomy " пїЅ)
Blood transfusion (if the anemia is very severe)
Other medicines, such as cyclophosphamide (brand name: Cytoxan) and rituximab (brand name: Rituxan), if the treatments listed above are not working well

All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. пїЅ пїЅ

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. пїЅ пїЅ

Topic 83062 Version 2.0 пїЅ пїЅ

Release: 22.8 - C22.208 пїЅ пїЅ

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Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

The Basics

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