[Detection of light chains of warm-type autoantibodies in autoimmune hemolytic anemia with the aid of an autoanalyzer].

A method was evolved for detection of light chains of erythrocyte autoantibodies using a Technicon II AutoAnalyser with properly selected dilutions of bromelin and methylcellulose and anti-kappa and anti-lambda sera. It was demonstrated that the method is superior to the direct Coombs test because it made possible detection of one or both light chains in warm autoantibodies coating the erythrocytes of 20 patients with autoimmunohaemolytic anaemias in whom they could not have been detected by the manual method. It was found that in warm-type autoantibodies light chains can be detected always and that in some cases only one light chain is found.