Anemia, Hemolytic, Acquired Autoimmune / Disease

Diseases & Conditions

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Anemia, Hemolytic, Acquired Autoimmune

Synonyms of Anemia, Hemolytic, Acquired Autoimmune

Anemia, Idiopathic Autoimmune Hemolytic
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia
Idiopathic Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia
Immune Hemolytic Anemia

Disorder Subdivisions

Anemia, Cold Antibody Hemolytic
Anemia, Warm Antibody Hemolytic

General Discussion
The autoimmune hemolytic anemias are rare disorders characterized by the premature destruction (hemolysis) of red blood cells at a rate faster than they can be replaced. Acquired hemolytic anemias are non-genetic in origin. Idiopathic acquired autoimmune diseases occur when the body's natural defenses against invading organisms (e.g., lymphocytes, antibodies) destroy its own healthy tissues for no known reason. Normally, the red blood cells (erythrocytes) have a life span of approximately 120 days before being removed by the spleen. The severity of this type of anemia is determined by the life span of the red blood cell and by the rate at which these cells are replaced by the bone marrow.

Clinicians are able to determine quite accurately (Coombs test) whether or not red blood cells are carrying with them chemicals that are being incorrectly recognized as an enemy and therefore subject to autoimmune destruction.

Acquired autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a disorder that occurs in individuals who previously had a normal red blood cell system. The disorder may occur as the result of, or in conjunction with, some other medical condition, in which case it is secondary to another disorder. Less commonly, it occurs alone without a precipitating factor.

Acquired autoimmune hemolytic anemia occurs in different forms, including warm antibody hemolytic anemia and cold antibody hemolytic anemia.

In warm antibody hemolytic anemia, the self-generated antibodies (autoantibodies) attach themselves and cause the destruction of the red blood cells at temperatures above normal body temperature. In contrast, in the cases of cold antibody hemolytic anemia, the self-generated antibodies (autoantibodies) attach themselves and cause the destruction of the red blood cells at temperatures below normal body temperature. (For more information on this disorder, choose Warm Antibody Hemolytic Anemia and/or Cold Antibody Hemolytic Anemia as your search term in the Rare Disease Database.)

Organizations related to Anemia, Hemolytic, Acquired Autoimmune

American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc.
22100 Gratiot Avenue
Eastpointe MI 48021
Phone #: 586-776-3900
800 #: 800-598-4668
e-mail: aarda@aarda.org
Home page: http://www.aarda.org/
AutoImmunity Community
None
None None None
Phone #: (91-9) -552-9057
800 #: N/A
e-mail: bandrews@autoimmunitycommunity.org
Home page: http://autoimmunitycommunity.org
Autoimmune Information Network, Inc
PO Box 4121
Brick NJ 08723
Phone #: 732-664-9259
800 #: N/A
e-mail: autoimmunehelp@aol.com
Home page: http://www.aininc.org
Cold Agglutinin Disease E-Support
c/o Betty Usdan
Hollywood FL 33021
Phone #: 954-961-2703
800 #: N/A
e-mail: N/A
Home page: http://www.coldagglutinindisease.org
European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID)
c/o Dr. Esther de Vries
Hertogenbosch None 5200 ME's
Phone #: +31- 73--6992965
800 #: N/A
e-mail: info@esid.org
Home page: http://www.esid.org
MUMS (Mothers United for Moral Support, Inc) National Parent-to-Parent Network
150 Custer Court
Green Bay WI 54301-1243
Phone #: 920-336-5333
800 #: 877-336-5333
e-mail: mums@netnet.net
Home page: http://www.netnet.net/mums/
Madisons Foundation
PO Box 241956
Los Angeles CA 90024
Phone #: 310-264-0826
800 #: N/A
e-mail: getinfo@madisonsfoundation.org
Home page: http://www.madisonsfoundation.org
March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains NY 10605
Phone #: 914-428-7100
800 #: 888-663-4637
e-mail: Askus@marchofdimes.com
Home page: http://www.marchofdimes.com
NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Information Center
P.O. Box 30105
Bethesda MD 20824-0105
Phone #: 301-592-8573
800 #: --
e-mail: nhlbiinfo@rover.nhlbi.nih.gov
Home page: N/A

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ? (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html