What are the types of autoimmune hemolytic anemia?

What are the types of autoimmune hemolytic anemia?

There are two main types of autoimmune hemolytic anemia: warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia and cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia. This classification depends on the type of antibodies involved in the disease.

Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia

The most common type of AIHA, warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, involves IgG antibodies, which bind red blood cells at normal body temperature. Generally, symptoms occur gradually over the course of several weeks. In some cases, however, they can develop within days.

Cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia

Affecting 10% to 20% of cases, cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia involves IgM autoantibodies. These bind red blood cells when your blood is at cooler temperatures compared to your body’s core temperature. There’s a wide variation in the temperature threshold at which a cold autoantibody will bind to red blood cells.