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Cold agglutinin disease (CAD) is a rare type of autoimmune disorder. "Autoimmune" means your body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells. In CAD, the immune system creates antibodies that attack and destroy your red blood cells. These specific antibodies, called cold agglutinins, are activated by cold temperatures.
read more about cold agglutinin disease ...This condition happens in two ways. "Primary" CAD has no known cause; the body just starts making these antibodies. "Secondary" CAD is caused by another illness. This can include infections like pneumonia or mononucleosis, other autoimmune conditions, or certain types of blood cancer like lymphoma.
When a person with CAD is exposed to cold, the cold agglutinin antibodies attach to their red blood cells. This "tags" the cells. When the blood circulates back to warmer parts of the body, the immune system sees these tagged cells as invaders and destroys them. This process is called hemolysis, and it leads to a shortage of red blood cells (anemia).
Symptoms are often worse in cold weather. They are related to both anemia and poor circulation. Symptoms of anemia include fatigue, weakness, dizziness, and pale skin. The cold-specific symptoms include a purplish, blotchy skin rash or a blueish tint to the fingers, toes, nose, or ears when exposed to cold.
The simplest and most important treatment is to avoid the cold. This includes wearing very warm clothes, gloves, and hats. For more serious cases, doctors may use medicines. These can include rituximab, a drug that targets the immune cells that make the antibodies. Corticosteroids, which are often used for other autoimmune diseases, are usually not effective for CAD.
Is cold agglutinin disease a form of cancer?
No, primary cold agglutinin disease is not cancer. It is a disorder of the immune system. However, it can sometimes be a symptom caused by an underlying cancer, like lymphoma.
Is cold agglutinin disease dangerous?
It can be. While many cases are mild, severe anemia can put a major strain on your heart and other organs. It is a serious, chronic condition that needs to be managed by a doctor.
Can this condition be cured?
If the condition is secondary to an infection, it may go away after the infection is treated. If it is primary CAD, there is no cure, but the symptoms and disease can be managed for a long time with treatment.
You should see a doctor if you often feel very tired, weak, or dizzy. It is especially important to see a doctor if you notice that your fingers, toes, or ears turn a blue or purple color in the cold. A doctor can run blood tests to check for anemia and to see if these specific antibodies are in your blood.