Drug-Induced Immune Hemolysis

Abstract

Among the major unresolved issues about drug-induced immune hemolytic anemias are the possible mechanisms by which drugs may induce hemolytic antibodies, and the means to establish a definitive diagnosis, since laboratory tests for drug-related antibodies are negative in a frustratingly large percentage of cases in which the clinical suspicion is strong. The article by Salama and Mueller-Eckhardt in this issue of the Journal ¹ provides important information about laboratory diagnosis based on a sound knowledge of possible mechanisms of interaction between red cells and drug-induced antibodies.The pioneering work on mechanisms of drug-induced immune cytolysis was performed by Ackroyd,² whose investigations . . .