Cold agglutinin disease is an autoimmune hemolytic anemia caused by IgM class antibodies, which are cold agglutinins, maximally active at temperatures from 0 to 37 °C. Patients complain of pain in their fingers, which occurs outdoors in winter. After prolonged exposure to cold, there is a risk of developing gangrene of the fingers. Blood tests show autoagglutination of erythrocytes, which disappears when heated to 37 °C.
Cold Agglutinin Disease: Symptoms and Diagnosis
Cold agglutinin disease: mechanism of autoimmune hemolysis by IgM antibodies, symptoms, and features of cold agglutination of erythrocytes in blood tests.
