Cold agglutinin disease: a case report.

Abstract

Abstract This case report is to help raise awareness of a rare autoimmune disorder, cold agglutinin disease (CAD), which is characterised by the premature destruction of red blood cells (haemolysis)(National Organisation for Rare Disorders [NORD],(2020). It can have a severe physical and psychological impact on those suffering with it. Caring for patients with CAD can also be extremely challenging and even traumatic for clinicians. The importance of good multidisciplinary team (MDT) working both within hospital and when discharging a patient to a community healthcare setting is also highlighted (NORD, 2020), as well as the importance of clear communication for the patient from medical staff on the expectations of treatment and prognosis. Approximately one person in 300,000 gets CAD, which is more prevalent in those aged 60 years and older. Women are also more likely to get it than men (Smith, 2021).