Cold agglutinin disease is seen when a complement-mediated antigen-antibody reaction causes RBC lysis. This is commonly associated with IgM antibodies. CAD can be a primary disease or secondary to infectious diseases such as mycoplasma infection, mumps, mononucleosis, and various proliferative diseases.
Symptoms can include anemia and hemolysis symptoms, as well as circulatory symptoms such as coldness and discoloration of the skin of digits, ankles, and wrists (Raynaud's).
Treatment may include avoidance of cold exposure, medications targeted to reduce white blood cells, chemotherapy agents, transfusion, and plasma exchange, depending on the severity of the disease.
