The Erythrocyte-Coating Substance in Autoimmune Hemolytic Disease: Its Nature and Significance

Abstract

The life span of erythrocytes in autoimmune hemolytic disease is inversely proportional to the concentration of erythrocyte-coating substance. After cortico-steroid therapy the life span was increased. The erythrocyte-coating substance in autoimmune hemolytic disease is either a gamma globulin or a substance cross reacting with it No difference was noted in the reactivity of the erythrocyte coating substance in autoimmune hemolytic disease of the idiopathic or of the symptomatic variety. The hemolytic anemia of the hematologic malignancies with negative Coombs'' test is presumably nonimmune in origin.