What are the current treatment options?
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a rare condition in which a patient's antibodies attack his or her own red blood cells. As a result, the patient suffers from insufficient red blood cells, leading to anemia and symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
AIHA is often classified into warm-antibody AIHA or cold-antibody AIHA, depending on the temperature at which the immune system is triggered to attack red blood cells. Roughly 70-80% of AIHA patients have the warm variety, which is generally associated with the antibody Immunoglobulin G (IgG). These antibodies are triggered at room temperature.
On the other hand, around 20% of AIHA cases are of the cold type (sometimes called cold agglutinin disease), which is generally associated with the antibody Immunoglobulin M (IgM). These antibodies are triggered when the body's temperature is below normal body temperature.
Current treatments for AIHA are limited, although there have been a number of new clinical trials testing a variety of new treatments. As of now, the first line of therapy is usually steroids, followed by rituximab, other immunosuppressant (such as azathioprine and methotrexate), and sometimes splenectomy (removal of the spleen). However, long term steroid use can have serious side effects, while rituximab can be cost prohibitive for many patients. Moreover, immunosuppressants such as azathioprine are of limited effectiveness, often leaving patients looking for alternatives.
As of now, there are a number of other treatments being tested. The only way that these new treatments can become available is if patients like you join clinical trials to test their effectiveness. The Autoimmune Registry supports and helps to recruit for clinical trials like this one. If you are interested in learning more, please feel free to reply to this email.
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