Autoimmune hemolytic anemia in an elderly patient with primary Sjögren's syndrome

Abstract

Primary Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of the salivary glands and lacrimal glands. The histological features of chronic inflammation in primary Sjögren's syndrome may be associated with B cell hyper-reactivity. This syndrome also has various manifestations associated with other exocrine glands and nonglandular tissues. The hematological abnormalities usually seen in Sjögren's syndrome are lymphopenia, leucopenia, and thrombocytopenia. Although the direct Coomb's test is often positive, the occurrence of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is rare. Here, we report an elderly patient with primary Sjögren's syndrome who developed AIHA during the clinical course.