Rare Medical News
5 Facts you should know about
Cold agglutinin disease
1
Hemolysis in CAD is driven by C1 activation of the classical complement pathway, when cold agglutinins (IgM autoantibodies) recruit and activate C1, typically at body temperatures under 98.6 °F.
2
Cold agglutinin disease can be primary or secondary, due to an underlying condition such as an infection, another autoimmune disease, or certain cancers.
3
Primary cold agglutinin disease occurs after the fifth decade of life and peaks prevalence in a person's 70s and 80s.
4
Many people with CAD also experience pain and bluish coloring of the hands and feet (acrocyanosis) or Raynaud's disease.
5
Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is the most common cause of secondary CAD.
Rare Medical News