Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia
New autoimmune hemolytic anemia research, summarized each month in plain language.
2026 so far: So far in 2026 (January to September), higher-dose nipocalimab improved hemoglobin versus placebo in warm AIHA, and real-world cohorts favored steroids plus rituximab over steroids alone; options for refractory cases were also reported. Read the 2026 review
We also cover clinical trials.
Yearly update
2026 so far
- Nipocalimab trial results. Controlled trial evidence emerged for an IgG-lowering therapy.
- Rituximab with steroids. Observational cohorts repeatedly linked combination therapy to better responses.
- Hard-to-treat options. More non-steroid approaches appeared, mostly outside randomized comparisons.
- Transfusion and rescue care. More reports focused on matching blood and short-term stabilization.
- Clots, infections, relapse. Reports sharpened when risks rise and how courses differ.
New
September 2026
- Negative DAT cases. One report described hemolysis despite a negative DAT.
- IgA relapse risk. Reports of IgA-positive AIHA often noted relapse during follow-up.
- Cold-related hemolysis. Supportive care and cold avoidance were linked to stabilization in reports.
August 2026
- Higher-dose benefit. Higher-dose IgG-lowering treatment raised hemoglobin more than placebo.
- Fast hemolysis control. Complement-blocking treatment sometimes stopped severe hemolysis quickly in reports.
- Changing relapse pattern. One case suggested relapse became more complement-driven over time.
July 2026
- Refractory treatment options. A small study reported fast, lasting responses with antibody combination therapy.
- Better blood matching. A hemolysis lab test may improve short-term transfusion lab results.
- Reported triggers. Case reports linked AIHA onset with infections or newly started medicines.
June 2026
- Sirolimus results. Many adults responded; side effects were mostly mild and reversible.
- Lower steroid use. Two case reports described steroid reduction in specific situations.
- Hemolysis after transfusion. Blood bank testing helped separate AIHA from transfusion or IVIG reactions.
May 2026
- Direct Coombs test. The direct antiglobulin test (DAT, also called the direct Coombs test) remained the main blood test used to confirm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA).
- Warm vs cold type. Additional lab findings sometimes helped classify AIHA as warm, cold, or mixed.
- Treatment changes in case reports. Single-patient reports described improvement in difficult-to-control AIHA after shifting treatment to better match the suspected trigger.
- Infections with rituximab in practice. In a real-world rituximab cohort, infections were reported during routine care.
April 2026
- Rituximab with steroids. In real-world cohorts, steroids plus rituximab were linked with better reported responses than steroids alone.
- DAT can stay positive. The direct antiglobulin test (DAT) often remained positive for months even after other lab values improved.
- Cold-type often shows a B-cell clone. In cold agglutinin disease, testing often found evidence of an underlying B-cell clone in blood or bone marrow.
March 2026
- Antibiotic-linked hemolysis. Some reports described hemolysis starting soon after an antibiotic and improving after the drug was stopped.
- Drug-dependent antibodies. In some cases, specialized blood bank testing found antibodies that reacted only when the suspected drug was present.
- Overlap with other autoimmune disease. AIHA was sometimes reported alongside other immune conditions, suggesting it can be part of a broader immune pattern in some people.
- Infection-triggered cold hemolysis. Cold-related hemolysis after infections ranged from severe episodes to recovery in reported cases.
February 2026
- Linked conditions as triggers. AIHA was often reported alongside another condition (such as pernicious anemia or cancer), and hemolysis improved in reports when that linked condition was treated.
- Antibiotic-related antibodies. After antibiotic exposure, drug-related antibodies were reported fairly often, while average blood-count changes were modest and severe anemia was reported rarely.
- Complex transfusion situations. Case reports described mixed warm and cold AIHA with hard-to-match transfusions, and one lymphoma-linked case used plasma exchange for temporary stabilization until lymphoma treatment took effect.
- Related research signals. A lymphoma series described patterns when autoimmune disease and lymphoma coexist (including more bone marrow involvement), and a dog study linked higher bilirubin with neurologic signs during immune hemolysis.
January 2026
- CAR T remission. CD19 CAR T led to remission in hard-to-treat AIHA.
- Post-treatment risks. Immune reactions and infections were reported after CAR T.
- Clot risk in relapse. Blood clots were more common during relapse than remission.
- Negative antibody tests. Some drug-triggered AIHA reports had negative antibody tests.
Get the monthly update by email
Subscribe here to receive an email when a new monthly autoimmune hemolytic anemia update is published. You can unsubscribe at any time. Your address is used for this only; delivery is handled by MailerLite (privacy policy).