Abstract
Abstract 4923
The association of Autoimmune hemolytic and Non Hodgkin's lymphoma is a known phenomenon. Cold hem agglutinin disease (CHD), is an uncommon Autoimmune hemolytic anemia, mediated by cold reactive auto antibodies that bind to erythrocyte carbohydrate antigen causing hem agglutination and complement mediated hemolysis. Cold agglutinin–mediated hemolysis occurs at low temperature which may be severe and difficult to treat.
CHD may be primary when it is idiopathic or secondary as in lympho-proliferative disorder of bone marrow associated with clonal proliferation of CD20 B cells that produce monoclonal 1g M cold agglutinin (kappa /lamda). Rituximab has been used as an as a novel treatment option in Autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Rituximab is a genetically engineered chimeric monoclonal antibody that targets the CD20 antigen on B cells.
Rituximab in autoimmune conditions possibly acts by destruction of CD20_clonotypic precursor B cells and/or CD20 plasma cells, thus is effective in controlling immunoglobulin-mediated diseases of B lymphocytes.
We analysed four patients of lymphoma with severe CHD who were successfully treated with the chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal Rituximab (375mg/ m2) intravenously every three weeks for four to six cycles, till the Agglutinins disappeared from the serum.
In this study patients diagnosed with lymphoma associated CHD were treated with Rituximab with a dose of 375mg/ meter square given every three weeks for four to six cycles, till the primary aim was achieved. The primary aim was correction of anemia, disappearance of cold hem-agglutinins from serum, assessed by complete blood counts and measuring cold agglutinins in serum.
Four such patients were studied, all of them had NHL-DLBCL (IHC proven), with severe hemolysis and jaundice with Hemoglobin <5 gm/ dl. All had presence of cold agglutinins in the serum and were positive for direct and indirect coomb's test.
All the patients showed significant improvement in the symptoms due to anemia and there was a rise in hemoglobin detected within the first week of Rituximab treatment. They achieved normal levels of hemoglobin with four to six weeks of treatment and in three patients cold agglutinins disappeared after completion of five cycles and the fourth patients had it after the sixth cycle. None of the patients was given any transfusion because of incompatibility issues.
Our experience with Rituximab was excellent in this indication and patients had a good overall outcome. Further trials need to be done for more evidence in this regard.
No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Author notes
Asterisk with author names denotes non-ASH members.
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