Cold agglutinins
Last updated: Thursday, 01, April, 2004
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| Item | Process |
|---|---|
| Specimen | 10 mL blood in plain tube, collected, separated at 37°C, then transported to the laboratory. |
| Method | Presence of agglutination after incubation of patient’s serum with washed red cells at 4°C, 20°C and 37°C. Differential testing against cord and adult blood cells may indicate anti-I specificity. |
| Application | Problems with blood grouping, compatibility testing. Investigation of positive direct antiglobulin test, possible autoimmune haemolysis. |
| Interpretation | Cold agglutinins found in (idiopathic) cold haemagglutinin disease, mycoplasma pneumonia (anti-I); some lymphomas (anti-I or anti-i); infectious mononucleosis (anti-i). Thermal amplitude and specificity is of clinical significance in relation to the risk of in vivo haemolysis. |
| Reference | Dacie JV and Lewis SM. Practical Haematology. 8th ed. Churchill Livingstone 1995. |