Serologic diagnosis in the differentiation of autoimmune hemolytic anemias.

A complex serologic study was carried out in 20 patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemias (AIHA). The methods used were: the direct Coombs' test with specific sera anti IgG, IgM, IgA and complement (C), the direct and indirect test with papain treated erythrocytes (at 37 degrees C), determination of cold agglutinin titer and of warm and cold hemolysins. By these investigations using indigenous sera, the 20 cases of autoimmune hemolytic anemia could be classified: a) according to the thermal behaviour of autoantibodies, into warm antibody AIHA -- 15 cases, cold antibody AIHA -- 2 cases and both warm and cold antibody AIHA -- 3 cases; and b) according to the sensitizing globulin, into: IgG type -- 10 cases, IgG + C type -- 7 cases, IgG + IgM + C type -- 1 case, type C + cold agglutinins -- 2 cases.