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Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Autoimmune hemolytic anemia classification

Introduction

Overview

Overview

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is classified into 3 broad categories. These include warm-antibody type, cold-antibody type, and mixed-antibody type. Each category is characterized by a different autoantibody (IgG or IgM) and different optimal binding temperatures (37 degrees Celsius or 4-18 degrees Celsius). Each condition is associated with different triggers, including infections, medications, and malignancies. The warm-antibody type is the most common, and the mixed-antibody type is rare and not well characterized.

Classification

Classification
Category Features Subtypes

Warm-antibody type

  • Accounts for ~75% of cases of autoimmune hemolytic anemia
  • Due to IgG autoantibody[1]
  • Binding occurs optimally at 37 degrees Celsius
  • Extravascular hemolysis (reticuloendothelial system)

Cold-antibody type

  • Accounts for ~25% of cases of autoimmune hemolytic anemia
  • Due to IgM autoantibody
  • Binding occurs optimally at 4-18 degrees Celsius
  • Intravascular hemolysis
  • Recognition by the reticuloendothelial system
  • Destruction by macrophages

Mixed warm-antibody and cold-antibody type

  • Due to IgM subtype
  • Mixed features
References

References

  1. ↑ Palla AR, Khimani F, Craig MD (2013). “Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia with a Direct Antiglobulin Test Positive for C3 and Negative for IgG: A Case Study and Analytical Literature Review of Incidence and Severity”. Clin Med Insights Case Rep. 6: 57–60. doi:10.4137/CCRep.S11469. PMC 3623608. PMID 23645992.
  2. ↑ Bechir A, Haifa R, Nesrine BS, Emna B, Senda M, Asma A; et al. (2016). “Multiple myeloma associated with an Evan’s syndrome”. Pan Afr Med J. 25: 127. doi:10.11604/pamj.2016.25.127.10750. PMC 5325491. PMID 28292089.
  3. ↑ Randen U, Trøen G, Tierens A, Steen C, Warsame A, Beiske K; et al. (2014). “Primary cold agglutinin-associated lymphoproliferative disease: a B-cell lymphoma of the bone marrow distinct from lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma”. Haematologica. 99 (3): 497–504. doi:10.3324/haematol.2013.091702. PMC 3943313. PMID 24143001.
  4. ↑ Moncrieff RE (1975). “Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria-1975”. West J Med. 123 (6): 477. PMC 1130418. PMID 18747599.
  5. ↑ Packman CH (2015). “The Clinical Pictures of Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia”. Transfus Med Hemother. 42 (5): 317–24. doi:10.1159/000440656. PMC 4678314. PMID 26696800.


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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Assosciate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Prashanth Saddala M.B.B.S; Shyam Patel [2], Irfan Dotani [3]