Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (patient information): Difference between revisions

	Autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
When to seek urgent medical care?
Diagnosis
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
Prevention
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia On the Web
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Latest revision as of 20:33, 29 July 2020

For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Irfan Dotani

Overview

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia occurs when antibodies form against the body's own red blood cells and destroy them. This happens because the immune system mistakenly recognizes these blood cells as foreign.

What are the symptoms of Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?

You may not have symptoms if the anemia is mild. If the problem develops slowly, symptoms that may occur first include:

Feeling grumpy
Feeling weak or tired more often than usual, or with exercise
Headaches
Problems concentrating or thinking

If the anemia gets worse, symptoms may include:

Blue color to the whites of the eyes
Brittle nails
Light-headedness when you stand up
Pale skin color (pallor)
Shortness of breath
Sore tongue

What causes Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?

Possible causes include:

Certain chemicals, drugs, and toxins
Infections
Transfusion of blood from a donor with a blood type that does not match
Certain cancers

When antibodies form against red blood cells for no reason, the condition is called idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

The antibodies may also be caused by:

Complication of another disease
Past blood transfusions
Pregnancy (if the baby's blood type is different from the mother's)

Risk factors are related to the causes.

When to seek urgent medical care?

Call your healthcare provider if you have unexplained fatigue or chest pain, or signs of infection.

Diagnosis

Absolute reticulocyte count
Direct or indirect Coombs' test
Hemoglobin in the urine
LDH (level of this enzyme rises as a result of tissue damage)
Red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin, and hematocrit
Serum bilirubin levels
Serum free hemoglobin
Serum haptoglobin

Treatment options

The first treatment tried is usually a steroid medication, such as prednisone. If steroid medications do not improve the condition, treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) or removal of the spleen (splenectomy) may be considered.

You may receive treatment to suppress your immune system if you do not respond to steroids and splenectomy. Medications such as azathioprine (Imuran), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), and rituximab (Rituxan) have been used.

Blood transfusions are given with caution because the blood may not be compatible and it may cause more red blood cell destruction.

Where to find medical care for Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Thrombocytopenia

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

The disease may start quickly and be very serious, or it may stay mild and not need special treatment.

In most people, steroids or splenectomy can totally or partially control anemia.

Possible complications

Severe anemia rarely leads to death. Severe infection may occur as a complication of treatment with steroids, other medicines that suppress the immune system, or splenectomy. These treatments impair the body's ability to fight infection.

Prevention

Screening for antibodies in donated blood and in the recipient may prevent hemolytic anemia related to blood transfusions.

Source

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000576.htm

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+__NOTOC__
+{{Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (patient information)}}
 '''For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click [[Autoimmune hemolytic anemia|here]]'''
-{{Infobox_Disease |
+{{CMG}}; {{AE}} [[User:Irfan Dotani|Irfan Dotani]]
-  Name           = Autoimmune hemolytic anemia |
-  DiseasesDB     = |
+==Overview==
-  ICD10          = {{ICD10|D|59|0|d|55}}-{{ICD10|D|59|1|d|55}} |
+Autoimmune hemolytic anemia occurs when antibodies form against the body's own red blood cells and destroy them. This happens because the immune system mistakenly recognizes these blood cells as foreign.
-  ICD9           = {{ICD9|283.0}} |
-  ICDO           = |
-  OMIM           = |
-  MedlinePlus    = 000579 |
-  MeshID         = D000744 |
-}}
-{{SI}}
-'''Editor-in-Chief:''' [[C. Michael Gibson]], M.S.,M.D. [mailto:charlesmichaelgibson@gmail.com] Phone:617-632-7753; '''Associate Editor-In-Chief:''' [[Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan]], M.B.B.S.
+==What are the symptoms of Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?==
+You may not have symptoms if the anemia is mild. If the problem develops slowly, symptoms that may occur first include:
-'''''Synonyms and Keywords:''''' Idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia
+* Feeling grumpy
+* Feeling weak or tired more often than usual, or with exercise
+* Headaches
+* Problems concentrating or thinking
-==Overview==
+If the anemia gets worse, symptoms may include:
-Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a drop in the number of red blood cells due to '''increased destruction by the body's defense (immune) system.'''
-==What are the symptoms of Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?==
+* Blue color to the whites of the eyes
-*[[Dark urine]]
+* Brittle nails
-*[[Fatigue]]
+* Light-headedness when you stand up
-*Pale color ([[pallor]])
+* Pale skin color (pallor)
-*Rapid heartbeat
+* Shortness of breath
-*[[Shortness of breath]]
+* Sore tongue
-*Yellow skin color ([[jaundice]])
 ==What causes Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?==
-*Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is an acquired disease that occurs when antibodies form against a person's own red blood cells. In the idiopathic form of this disease, the cause is unknown.
+Possible causes include:
+* Certain chemicals, drugs, and toxins
+* Infections
+* Transfusion of blood from a donor with a blood type that does not match
+* Certain cancers
+When antibodies form against red blood cells for no reason, the condition is called idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
-*'''Idiopathic''' autoimmune hemolytic anemia accounts for one-half of all immune hemolytic anemias.
+The antibodies may also be caused by:
-*There are '''other types''' of immune hemolytic anemias in which the cause may result from an underlying disease or medication. The disease may start quickly and be very serious.
+* Complication of another disease
+* Past blood transfusions
+* Pregnancy (if the baby's blood type is different from the mother's)
-==Who is at highest risk?==
+Risk factors are related to the causes.
-Risk factors are not known.
 ==When to seek urgent medical care?==
-Call your health care provider if you notice symptoms of [[Anemia (patient information)|anemia]].
+Call your healthcare provider if you have unexplained fatigue or chest pain, or signs of infection.
 ==Diagnosis==
-*An examination may reveal an '''enlarged spleen'''.
+* Absolute reticulocyte count
+* Direct or indirect Coombs' test
-*'''Tests''' include:
+* Hemoglobin in the urine
-:*Direct [[Coombs test]]
+* LDH (level of this enzyme rises as a result of tissue damage)
-:*[[Hemoglobin]] in the urine
+* Red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin, and hematocrit
-:*Indirect Coombs' test
+* Serum bilirubin levels
-:*Red blood cell count and serum [[hemoglobin]]
+* Serum free hemoglobin
-:*[[Reticulocyte count]]
+* Serum haptoglobin
-:*Serum [[bilirubin]] levels
-:*Serum [[haptoglobin]]
 ==Treatment options==
-*The first therapy tried is usually a steroid medication, such as '''[[prednisone]]'''.
+The first treatment tried is usually a steroid medication, such as prednisone. If steroid medications do not improve the condition, treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) or removal of the spleen (splenectomy) may be considered.
-*If steroid medications do not improve the condition, removal of the spleen ('''[[splenectomy]]''') may be considered.
-*Therapy to '''suppress the immune system''' is usually given if the person does not respond to steroids and splenectomy. Medications such as [[azathioprine]] (Imuran), [[cyclophosphamide]] (Cytoxan), and [[rituximab]] (Rituxan) have been used.
+You may receive treatment to suppress your immune system if you do not respond to steroids and splenectomy. Medications such as azathioprine (Imuran), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), and rituximab (Rituxan) have been used.
-*'''[[Blood transfusions]]''' are given with caution, because of the potential that blood may not be compatible and may cause further hemolysis.
+Blood transfusions are given with caution because the blood may not be compatible and it may cause more red blood cell destruction.
 ==Where to find medical care for Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?==
-[http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q={{urlencode:{{#if:{{{1|}}}|{{{1}}}|Autoimmune hemolytic anemia}}}}&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=65.008093,112.148438&ie=UTF8&ll=37.0625,-95.677068&spn=91.690419,149.414063&z=2&source=embed Directions to Hospitals Treating Autoimmune hemolytic anemia]
+[http://maps.google.com/maps?q={{urlencode:{{#if:{{{1|}}}|{{{1}}}|map+top+hospital+Thrombocytopenia}}}}&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl Directions to Hospitals Treating Thrombocytopenia]
-==Prevention==
+==What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?==
-There is no known prevention for autoimmune hemolytic anemia, because the cause is '''unknown'''.
+The disease may start quickly and be very serious, or it may stay mild and not need special treatment.
-==What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?==
+In most people, steroids or splenectomy can totally or partially control anemia.
-*Adults may have long-term disease that keeps returning.
-*In children the anemia is usually short-lived.
 ==Possible complications==
-*Infection (as a complication of treatment)
+Severe anemia rarely leads to death. Severe infection may occur as a complication of treatment with steroids, other medicines that suppress the immune system, or splenectomy. These treatments impair the body's ability to fight infection.
-*Severe [[Anemia (patient information)|anemia]]
+==Prevention==
+Screening for antibodies in donated blood and in the recipient may prevent hemolytic anemia related to blood transfusions.
 ==Source==
-http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000579.htm
+https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000576.htm
-{{WH}}
-{{WS}}
-[[Category:Mature chapter]]
 [[Category:Disease]]
 [[Category:Hematology]]
-[[Category:Hematology patient information]]
+[[Category:Blood disorders]]
+[[Category:Blood tests]]
+[[Category:Patient information]]