[Accessory use of protease-inhibiting agents for disease remission in a patient with autoimmune hemolytic anemia associated with B-CLL].

Protease inhibiting agents, which have inhibitory effects on complement system, were used to treat a patient with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) associated with B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). Although this patient had failed to respond thoroughly to prednisolone, the additional use of protease inhibitors induced a disease remission of hemolytic anemia. The result suggests that complement components are of importance in the pathogenesis of hemolysis in AIHA, and supports the accessory use of protease inhibiting agents in autoimmune hematologic diseases associated with the complement activation and hypersplenism.