Hemolytic anemia is a class of anemia in which circulating red blood cells are destroyed faster than the bone marrow can replace them, shortening normal erythrocyte survival and reducing oxygen-carrying capacity. It is classified by the site of destruction, intravascular versus extravascular clearance in the spleen …
Hemolytic anemia is a class of anemia in which circulating red blood cells are destroyed faster than the bone marrow can replace them, shortening normal erythrocyte survival and reducing oxygen-carrying capacity. It is classified by the site of destruction, intravascular versus extravascular clearance in the spleen and liver, and by cause. Inherited forms arise from defects intrinsic to the red cell, including hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell disease and compound states like hemoglobin SD, membrane disorders, and enzyme deficiencies; these can precipitate painful vaso-occlusive crises, particularly under physiological stress such as pregnancy. Acquired forms are usually extrinsic and immune-mediated, exemplified by cold agglutinin disease, in which autoantibodies bind erythrocytes at low temperatures and trigger agglutination and complement-driven lysis, sometimes with peripheral manifestations such as pernio. Laboratory evaluation centers on markers of hemolysis and compensatory erythropoiesis: reticulocytosis, elevated unconjugated bilirubin and lactate dehydrogenase, reduced haptoglobin, and the direct antiglobulin test to distinguish immune mechanisms. Because the underlying mechanisms differ widely, management is cause-specific, ranging from transfusion support and immunosuppression to treatment of the precipitating disorder, making accurate classification central to diagnosis and care in transfusion medicine and hematology.
5 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 5 articles above have been cited 18 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Hemolytic Anemia, linking to each citing work.