Fludarabine-Associated Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia in CLL

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Leukemia Research

Volume 30, Issue 12 , December 2006, Pages 1589-1590

Copyright © 2006 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.

Letter to the Editor

Fludarabine-associated autoimmune hemolytic anemia occurring in B-

cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Hiroko Nishidaa, b, , , Tadashi Muraseb, c, Hironori Uenoa, b, Jae

Wong Parkb, Takahiro Yanob and Yasuo Ikedaa

aDivision of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Keio

University, School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

160-8582, Japan

bDivision of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, National

Hospital Organization, Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan

cDepartment of Internal medicine, Fuji Xerox Health Promotion

Center, Tokyo, Japan

Received 7 February 2006. Available online 20 March 2006.

Abstract

Autoimmune phenomena are reported to occur frequently in B-cell

chronic leukemia (B-CLL). Fludarabine, one of the most effective

chemotherapeutic agents for CLL, may increase the risk of these

phenomena and may be life-threatening.

Here we present a case of an 80-year-old man with B-CLL who

developed autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), associated with one

cycle of fludarabine treatment, and who was successfully treated

with rituximab and prednisolone.