A 76-year-old woman with cold agglutinin disease (CAD) underwent an emergency upper endoscopy, a procedure to look at the upper gastrointestinal tract, without any disease-related complications, thanks to warming strategies that prevented her body temperature from getting too low, a study shows. Such strategies included raising the temperature of…
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“We need to schedule you for a bone marrow biopsy.” My doctor was on the phone delivering his evaluation of recent blood work. Of all the tests and treatments, a bone marrow biopsy is among my least favorite. I had one before and know what’s coming up. It…
A man developed cold agglutinin disease (CAD) shortly after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, which ultimately led to the diagnosis of an underlying blood cancer known as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), according to a recent case report. While COVID-19 vaccines are considered safe and effective, the authors emphasized the…
I haven’t felt well since early February. Many days I haven’t wanted to get out of bed. Even pushing the covers off or pulling them over me takes a gargantuan effort. Healthcare providers have told me I don’t look anemic, that I seem fine, but I knew my blood work…
I was heartbroken when I unpacked my luggage a couple weeks ago and found my beautiful coffeepot smashed into 22 pieces with accompanying shards and small chips. In my tiredness, a moment of good decision-making pressed through: I didn’t throw it away, as is my current habit. I knew I…
Cold agglutinin disease (CAD) is a rare disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks red blood cells, resulting in anemia.
CAD is characterized by autoantibodies, called cold agglutinins, binding to and activating the destruction of red blood cells when exposed to cold temperatures.
Symptoms of CAD include fatigue, Raynaud’s syndrome, joint pain, jaundice or skin discoloration, and heart problems. These symptoms can worsen with more cold exposure.
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