News

Woman diagnosed with CAD after having chickenpox: Case report

The rare case of a young woman with cold agglutinin disease (CAD) secondary to chickenpox, also known as varicella, was described in a recent report in India. While corticosteroids, a type of steroid, are usually not recommended for CAD secondary to an infection, the rapid and sustained red blood…

Intractable primary CAD managed successfully with splenectomy

Splenectomy, or the surgical removal of the spleen, significantly reduced unmanageable red blood cell destruction in a man with primary cold agglutinin disease (CAD), a study showed. While this approach is usually considered to be ineffective in CAD patients, this case report adds to other studies where  CAD was successfully…

Healthy Pregnancy With AIHA Is Possible But Carries Risks: Study

Fetal complications are about four times more common in pregnant women with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), including cold agglutinin disease (CAD), than in those without the autoimmune condition, according to a small study. Still, maternal complications occurred at similar rates, and most were directly linked to AIHA relapses, or…

Blood Transfusions With CAD, AIHAs Require Special Care: Study

Special considerations should be taken when preparing a blood transfusion for someone with cold agglutinin disease (CAD), a recent study indicates. The study, “Evaluating patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia in the transfusion service and immunohematology reference laboratory: pretransfusion testing challenges and best transfusion-management strategies,” was published…

Report Details How CAD Patient Was Warmed for Hip Surgery

Multiple strategies to keep a woman with cold agglutinin disease (CAD) sufficiently warm right before and during hip replacement surgery allowed for a safe procedure and the absence of post-surgery complications, a case study shows. One way to reduce heat loss — and therefore prevent disease worsening — was…