Hemolytic anemia in adults: main causes and diagnostic procedures

Abstract

Hemolytic anemia is not an exceptional situation in adults. Although establishing the hemolytic mechanism of an anemia is usually rather easy, finding the etiology may be quite difficult as both hereditary (corpuscular) and acquired causes of hemolytic anemia may occur during adulthood. The diagnosis of hemolytic anemia, therefore, requires a multistep procedure taking into account both the patient’s and family history, a careful analysis of the blood smear and a direct antiglobulin test. Based on these first data, the diagnostic procedure may then require more specific tests whose indications are discussed in this review.

Keywords::

• blood smear
• direct antiglobulin test
• extracorpuscular hemolytic anemia
• extravascular hemolysis
• hemolytic anemia
• intracorpuscular hemolytic anemia
• intravascular hemolysis

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or mater ials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

G6PD: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; HA: Hemolytic anemia; HELLP: Hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets; RBC: Red blood cell.

AIHA: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia; HA: Hemolytic anemia; PRCA: Pure red cell aplasia; RBC: Red blood cell.