Agglutinin cold & bull; hello healthy

Definition

What is cold agglutinin?

The cold agglutinin blood test is a test to check for conditions when the body makes certain types of antibodies called cold agglutinins. In general, cold agglutinins are produced by the immune system in response to infection. This type of antibody causes red blood cells to clot (agglutinate) at low temperatures.

The blood of healthy people generally contains low levels of cold agglutinins. But lymphoma or an infection, such as mycoplasma pneumonia, can make cold agglutinin production increase.

Cold agglutinin levels above normal limits are generally not a serious problem. In response to cold, high levels of cold agglutinin cause blood to clot in the blood vessels under the skin. This causes the skin to become pale and numbs the hands and feet. However, the skin will return to normal after being warmed. In some cases, blood cell clots can stop blood flow to the tips of your fingers, toes, ears, or nose. This case is similar to frostbite or frostbite which has an impact on tissue damage. In rare cases, blood cell clots can cause gangrene.

Sometimes, high levels of cold agglutinin can destroy red blood cells throughout the body. This condition is called autoimmune hemolytic anemia (or autoimmune hemolytic anemia).

When should I take cold agglutinins?

This test is given to someone who is sensitive to cold temperatures and shows symptoms of hemolytic anemia which may be caused by cold agglutinin disease. Symptoms include:

• tired, weak, lack of energy, pale skin, dizziness and / or headache from anemia
• in some cases, limbs such as fingers, feet, ears, and nasal tip pain and turn blue when exposed to cold

Precautions & warnings

What should I know before taking cold agglutinins?

More than half of people with pneumonia caused by mycoplasma have high levels of cold agglutinins. Thus, a new test for mycoplasma pneumonia was developed which could replace the cold agglutinin blood test. However, if a clot of red blood cells (called a Rouleaux formation) is seen on a complete blood count (CBC) test, your doctor may recommend that you do a cold agglutinin test. Before having a blood transfusion or organ transplant, it is necessary to do a blood type test to make sure that the blood of the donor and recipient matches. A person with blood that contains high levels of cold agglutinins may have difficulty typing.

Older people have high cold agglutinin titers and tend to stay (unchanged) for years. The cold agglutinin test may rarely be used to identify elevated cold agglutinins in patients diagnosed with secondary cold agglutinin disease, such as infectious mononucleosis or infection with mycoplasma pneumonia. Since it is not intended for such specific conditions, this test is not used.

Process

What should I do before starting cold agglutinins?

There is no special preparation before undergoing this test.

How does cold agglutinin process?

The medical personnel in charge of drawing your blood will take the following steps:

• wrap an elastic belt around your upper arm to stop blood flow. This makes the blood vessel under the bundle enlarge making it easier to insert the needle into the vessel
• clean the area to be injected with alcohol
• inject a needle into a vein. More than one needle may be required.
• Insert the tube into the syringe to fill it with blood
• untie the knot from your arm when enough blood is drawn
• sticking gauze or cotton on the injection site, after the injection is complete
• apply pressure to the area and then put a bandage on

What should I do after taking cold agglutinins?

The medic will wrap your arm with an elastic band until it feels a little tight. Then, a small needle will be injected right into the vein. This process is relatively fast without pain. The needle that is inserted may only feel like a small sting or pinch. Remove the tape and cotton after 20 to 30 minutes. After that, you just have to wait for the test results to come out. The doctor will explain the test results and provide further instructions.

Explanation of the Test Results

What do my test results mean?

Normal

The normal range for each test may vary depending on the laboratory you choose. Thus, the normal range specified is not absolute. The doctor will check the test results taking into account the patient's health condition as well as other factors that may reduce the accuracy of the test results.

Normal titer: Less than 1 to 16 (1:16) at 4 C

Abnormal

High cold agglutinin titers can be caused by infections, such as pneumonia caused by mycoplasma, mononucleosis, hepatitis C, or other viral infections.

In cold temperatures, high cold agglutinin titres can cause fingertips, toes, ears, or nose to feel numb, burn, sore, and turn pale. A person who has a very high titer is more at risk of developing thrombosis when exposed to low temperatures.