sulindac and Anemia--Hemolytic--Autoimmune

Topics: Acute Disease; Aged; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune; Female; Humans; Sulindac

Sulindac, a nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory, indene-derived drug, caused life-threatening immune hemolytic anemia in an individual with back pain.. A patient was admitted to the hospital with immune hemolytic anemia and kidney and liver failure after several days ingestion of sulindac. The direct antiglobulin test was positive with polyspecific and monospecific anti-IgG but not with anti-C3. The eluate did not react in routine tests but reacted strongly after the addition of sulindac. The serum contained a sulindac-dependent antibody reacting to a titer of 32. The sulindac-dependent antibody was of both IgG and IgM classes and had no apparent blood group specificity. The antibody agglutinated red cells from humans and chimpanzees but not from chickens, rabbits, or sheep, which implied that a specific component on human and chimpanzee red cells was needed for reactivity. The antibody reacted with red cells treated with trypsin, papain, pronase, dithiothreitol, and sialidase. With aggressive medical care, the patient's condition improved.. These findings appear compatible with the so-called immune complex mechanism for drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia. Physicians are alerted to the severe nature of this syndrome.

Topics: Aged; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune; Antigens, Surface; Autoantibodies; Blood Group Antigens; Coombs Test; Erythrocyte Membrane; Female; Hemagglutination; Humans; Sulindac

Topics: Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune; Humans; Indenes; Sulindac

A number of adverse reactions have been associated with sulindac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, but acute hemolytic anemia associated with sulindac has not yet been reported, to our knowledge. We encountered two cases of severe immune hemolytic anemia, one fatal, which appear to have been related to sulindac. In vitro studies provided evidence that antibodies to sulindac and its metabolites were present in the serum of both patients.

Topics: Aged; Anemia, Hemolytic; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune; Antibodies; Erythrocytes; Female; Humans; Indenes; Osteoarthritis; Serologic Tests; Sulindac