What Is Cold Agglutinin Disease?
Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
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Cold Agglutinin Disease
CAD; Cold Antibody Hemolytic Anemia; Cold Antibody Disease
Cold agglutinin disease (CAD) is a rare type of autoimmune hemolytic anemia in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys its own red blood cells. With CAD, cold temperatures activate your immune system. Explore symptoms, causes, and genetics of this rare condition.
Red Blood Cells Illustration
Image by National Cancer Institute / Donald Bliss (Illustrator)
Cold agglutinin disease
Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
Symptoms of cold agglutinin disease (CAD) are often triggered or made worse by cold temperatures or a viral infection. Therefore, symptoms generally are worse during winter months. Symptoms may arise suddenly or gradually.
Most people with CAD have symptoms of hemolytic anemia (destruction of red blood cells, causing low levels of red blood cells). However, the number of symptoms and severity of symptoms may depend on how severe the anemia is. Signs and symptoms of hemolytic anemia may include:
Many people with CAD also experience pain and bluish coloring of the hands and feet (acrocyanosis) or Raynaud's disease. These symptoms result from slow or poor circulation and can range from mild to disabling.
Other signs and symptoms of CAD may include enlargement of the spleen (splenomegaly) and mottled discoloration of the skin (livedo reticularis).
In people with secondary CAD (associated with another underlying condition), there may be additional signs and symptoms depending on the condition present. For example:
Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
Cold agglutinin disease - macroscopic agglutination on blood smear
Image by Spicy/Wikimedia
A diagnosis of cold agglutinin disease may be made after several types of tests are performed by a health care provider. In some cases, the diagnosis is first suspected by chance if a routine complete blood count (CBC) detects abnormal clumping (agglutination) of the red blood cells. In most cases, the diagnosis is based on evidence of hemolytic anemia (from symptoms and/or blood tests). A person may also be physically examined for spleen or liver enlargement. An antiglobulin test (called the Coombs test) may be performed to determine the presence of a specific type of antibody. In people with cold agglutinin disease, the Coomb's test is almost always positive for immunoglobulin M (IgM).
Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
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