In children, cold agglutinin disease (CAD) usually manifests as a single disease flare that resolves following treatment, according to a large study in the U.S. and Canada. Data from nearly 400 cases with pediatric autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), a group of diseases that includes CAD, also showed that children…
Discussion
One of my favorite memories is a trip that included a visit to the Smithsonian’s Museum of History and Technology, now called the National Museum of American History. It’s since been removed, but among the exhibits then was a Foucault’s pendulum, a large brass bob that hung…
Discussion
It is now Sunday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. Yesterday, I ended a 10-hour shift at work just half an hour earlier, at about 4 p.m. I got home shortly afterward and plunged into the comfort of my bed, where I stayed until about 7 a.m. today. Now, after close to…
Discussion
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with Brukinsa (zanubrutinib). Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. I was angry, but I didn’t know why. Last week, I went for my first checkup since I began taking Brukinsa…
Discussion
Questions about cold sensitivity helped doctors suspect cold agglutinin disease (CAD) as a possible cause of severe anemia, fatigue, and shortness of breath in a 93-year-old woman with heart disease, a case report suggests. “Probable CAD was initially obscured by [heart disease, blood thinner use, and possible bleeding] and…
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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