Autoimmune Diseases, Cold

Rare

Autoimmune hemolytic anemias occur in 1 of 80,000 persons; of these, 17.3% are due to cold antibodies.

Acute hemolysis due to cold

Hemoglobinemia

Hemoglobinuria

Rarely, vascular occlusion

Cooling to 28–31° C will cause hemolysis.

These temperatures can be reached in extremities during cardiopulmonary bypass.

In two circumstances antibodies will react in the cold to produce hemolysis:

• IgG antibodies associated with mononucleosis, mycoplasmal pneumonia.

• IgM antibodies found in the idiopathic form of the disease and in lymphoproliferative disease.

Hemolysis usually occurs at temp below 31°C.