Although my Scrabble scores may suggest otherwise, I have always been a logophile — a person deeply fascinated by and enamored with words. So it was with double delight that I recently discovered a new term: post-exertional malaise (PEM). PEM is defined as “a delayed worsening of symptoms that occurs…
For people with hard-to-treat cold agglutinin disease (CAD), long-term treatment with Enjaymo (sutimlimab-jome)Â may offer lasting disease control, even with less frequent infusions than recommended, according to a small real-world study in Italy. Enjaymo was found to quickly reduce red blood cell destruction, ease anemia, and eliminate the need…
Discussion
I expected to be feeling better and to have more energy after I received two units of red blood cells (RBCs) earlier this month, but instead, 10 days later, I found myself at the Spencer Cancer Center, feeling much worse. It was no wonder, a triage nurse said after my…
Rituximab plus glucocorticoids led to sustained disease remission in an older woman who developed cold agglutinin disease (CAD) and severe kidney disease after receiving long-term immunosuppressive treatment for two other autoimmune diseases, a study shows. “Rituximab combined with glucocorticoids led to a prompt and marked improvement in anemia…
Discussion
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with rituximab and bendamustine infusions. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Last in a series. Read parts one and two. The last crack of lightning started the…
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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