Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (wAIHA)

Target Audience
This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of physicians specializing in hematology and hematology-oncology. Other members of the care team may also participate.

Program Overview
Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA) is the most common type (60-70%) of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). In most cases, wAIHA is due an immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibody that binds to red blood cells (RBC), leading to hemolysis.

Current recommendations for managing people with wAIHA are largely based on case series and retrospective studies involving off-label medications. Also, while there are currently no medications specifically approved to treat wAIHA, data are emerging on new therapies under investigation which may impact treatment in the future.

This 60-minute CME program, hosted by Irina Murakhovskaya, MD, of the Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York, NY and Bruno Fattizzo, MD, of the University of Milan and Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, in Milan, Italy, describes current best practices for diagnosing and managing patients with wAIHA.

Learning Objectives
After participating in the activity, learners should be better able to:

Describe the difference between primary and secondary wAIHA
List best practices for diagnosing wAIHA
Describe common complications associated with wAIHA
Explain current treatment recommendations for patients with wAIHA and the evidence which supports them
Describe potential therapies in development for treating patients with wAIHA