[Autoimmune hemolytic anemia in ulcerative colitis. Report on 7 cases, possible treatment and review of the literature].

Warm-antibody autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a rare but typical extraintestinal complication of ulcerative colitis. Seven cases with this condition are reported here and 24 further cases from the literature are reviewed. There were no essential differences between the two groups of patients with respect to clinical and immuno-hematological findings. However, the introduction of immunosuppressive drugs has led to a change in therapy and prognosis in recent years. Our observations suggest that treatment with steroids and azathioprine is to be recommended, with accompanying therapy of the underlying disease. In patients failing to respond to this immunosuppressive regimen, splenectomy or surgical treatment of the affected intestines must be considered. For every patient with ulcerative colitis and hyperregenerative anemia the possibility of warm autoantibody formation must be ruled out by performing the direct antiglobulin test.