Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a group of hemolytic anemias characterized by an antibody response to red blood cells. It can present as acute or chronic anemia. It can be idiopathic or can occur with other disorders.
Several types have been described:
- warm-antibody type anemia (WAIHA)
- cold-antibody type anemia (CAIHA)
- mixed cold- and warm-antibody type anemia
- paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria (Donath-Landsteiner syndrome)
- drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia (DIAHA)