2006, Number S2
Positive autoantibody: does it have any clinical importance?
Mávil LLC
Full text
Language: Spanish
References: 9
Page: 25-30
PDF size: 90.10 Kb.
ABSTRACT
In immunohematology, the term ‘autoantibody’ is used for any antibody which reacts with a corresponding antigen on the subject’s own red cells if the reaction takes place only in vitro and whether or not any pathological effects are produce in vivo. The autoantibodies may be classified as harmful or harmless, according to whether or not they are associated with red cell destruction. Most red cell autoantibodies can be classified as cold or warm. The distinction between harmless and harmful cold antibodies depends solely on the maximum temperature at which they are active. Harmful cold autoantibodies are those associated with Cold Agglutinin Syndrome and Paroxysmal Cold Hemoglobinuria. The harmful warm autoantibodies reacting as well, or better, at 37 °C, are found in about 80 % of all cases of AIHA. The AIHA associated with warm autoantibodies in the following cases: when the patient has been recently transfused, the patient is receiving any drugs, the patient has received a marrow or an organ transplant and hemolytic disease of newborn. The associated antibodies in warm AIHA often show an association with Rh system and unusual specificities: Kell system, Kidd system and Duffy system.REFERENCES