title: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia in patients with β-thalassemia major.
abstract: Hemolysis is a common feature in patients with β-thalassemia major. As a result, autoimmune hemolytic anemia complicating β-thalassemia is easily overlooked. Here, the authors described the clinical features and management of 7 patients with β-thalassemia major and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. These patients had fever, cough, and tea-colored urine on admission. The laboratory investigations showed a significant drop in hemoglobin and increased serum bilirubin. Coombs' tests revealed that anti-immunoglobulin G (IgG) and anti-C3 was positive in 7 and 5 cases, respectively, whereas anti-Rh E alloantibody was positive in 3 cases. All the patients received corticosteroids treatments and blood transfusions. Patients with anti-Rh E alloantibodies also received immunoglobulin treatments. Six of the patients responded well to the management, but 1 patient developed recurrent autoimmune hemolytic anemia that required cyclosporin A treatment. All the patients remained well by following up for more than 6 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; and Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Gene Regulation and Target Therapy of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lu-Hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jian-Pei
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Wen-Jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ya-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000744:Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications*