Utility of dithiothreitol in a case of spontaneous autoagglutination due to mixed autoimmune hemolytic anemia in a child – A rare scenario

Abstract

Mixed autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) represents <5% of pediatric AIHA cases. Spontaneous agglutination is known in patients with cold agglutinins reacting at room temperature. They often interfere with serological tests; generally, they can be dispersed by simple warming techniques. Rarely, in severe cases, as seen in the index case, dithiothreitol treatment of the red cells is needed to eliminate autoagglutination.

Keywords

• autoagglutination
• autoimmune
• blood grouping
• dithiothreitol
• hemolytic anemia
• pediatric