Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemias

Berentsen, Sigbjørn M.D., Ph.D.
Barcellini, Wilma M.D.

From the Department of Research and Innovation, Haugesund Hospital, Helse Fonna Hospital Trust, Haugesund, Norway (S.B.); and the Hematology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan (W.B.).

Address reprint requests to Dr. Berentsen at the Department of Research and Innovation, Haugesund Hospital, Helse Fonna Hospital Trust, P.O. Box 2170, 5504 Haugesund, Norway, or at [email protected].

Dan L. Longo, M.D., Editor

Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at NEJM.org.

New England Journal of Medicine 385(15):p 1407-1419, October 7, 2021. | DOI: 10.1056/NEJMra2033982

Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

Hemolytic anemias, which are rare, are often caused by autoimmune destruction of red cells. The hemolysis can be intravascular or extravascular. In general, IgG mediates warm antibody-induced hemolysis, and IgM cold antibody-induced hemolysis. Immunosuppression is the main treatment.