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Cold agglutinin disease

Evidence: Antibody

Names

Cold agglutinin disease
Anemia, hemolytic, cold antibody
Cold antibody hemolytic anemia
Cold antibody disease
CAD

Description

Cold agglutinin disease is a type of autoimmune hemolytic anemia in which the body's immune system attacks and destroys its own red blood cells. Unlike warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, the autoimmune destruction of cells occurs when a person is exposed to cold, or their body temperature is below normal. Some patients experience heart problems because the heart has to work harder to make sure the body gets enough healthy red blood cells

Patient Groups

Prevalence

US Cases: 5,000 [Mullins 2017]

Typical Age of onset

CAD typically affects individuals between 50 and 70.  Some studies suggest that it affects slightly more women than men.

Younger individuals develop CAD in connection with other diseases.

Symptoms

  • Fatigue

  • Dizziness

  • Headache

  • Cold hands and feet

  • Pale skin

  • Dark urine

  • Jaundice

  • Chest pain

  • Pain in the back

  • Pain in the legs

  • Vomiting

  • Diarrhea

  • Pain and bluish coloring of the hands and feet

  • A feeling of “fullness” caused by an enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)

  • Mottled discoloration of the skin (livedo reticularis)

  • Heart problems:

    • Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)

    • Heart murmur

    • Hnlarged heart

    • Heart failure