Man’s CAD likely a complication of ICI cancer therapies

In rare cases, cold agglutinin disease (CAD) may develop as a delayed complication of a combination of immune-activating cancer therapies called immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), according to a case report. While some cases of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) — a group of autoimmune disorders that include CAD secondary to…

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…

Enterovirus 71 Triggers Anemia in Young Boy

An enterovirus infection triggered autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) — a condition in which the body’s immune system generates self-reactive antibodies that destroy red blood cells — in an 11-year-old boy, a case study has reported for the first time. Although some signs were consistent with a case of virus-induced…

Case Report: Warm AIHA Plus CAD Possibly Triggered by COVID-19

The virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, may have triggered both warm and cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) in a 51-year-old man, a case study reports. The case report, “Warm and Cold Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia in the Setting of COVID-19 Disease,” was published in the journal Cureus. AIHA comprises a…

Alert Cards for Cold Agglutinin Disease

Clinical alert items such as blood lab cards and bedside blood cards are important tools for people with cold agglutinin disease (CAD). What is CAD? CAD is a rare autoimmune disorder in which exposure to cold temperatures causes autoantibodies, or cold agglutinins, to bind tightly to red…

Cold Agglutinin Disease in Children

While the risk for cold agglutinin disease (CAD) increases after age 55, children occasionally develop the disorder. In these cases, CAD is usually the result of infection, lasts a relatively short time, and generally requires supportive care only. What is CAD? CAD is a type of autoimmune hemolytic anemia,…