Variability of the Erythropoietic Response in Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia :

One hundred-nine cases of autoimmune hemolysis were reviewed to determine the frequency of reticulocytopenia. the state of the erythroid marrow in reticulocytopenic cases. and the course of reticulocyte production indices with time and glucocorticoid treatment. The mean hematocrit at presentation was 24 mL/dL, but 30% of cases had an initial hematocrit <20 mi/dI. Median reticulocyte percentage at diagnosis was 9%. and median reticulocyte production index was 2.8 times basal. Twenty percent of cases had an initial reticulocyte count <4%. and 37% had an initial reticulocyte production index <2.0 times basal. These reticulocytopenic patients were nearly evenly distributed between warm and cold antibody-mediated cases and between primary and secondary cases. Fifty-four percent of reticulocytopenic cases had a bone marrow examination during hospitalization. Three-fourths of these marrows showed erythroid hyperplasia. and erythroid hypoplasia was seen in only one case. Eighty-eight cases