Donath Landsteiner antibody
Last updated: Wednesday, 05, December, 2007
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| Item | Process |
|---|---|
| Specimen | Collection by laboratory staff into 2 plain tubes, one at 37°C and one at 4°C. |
| Method | Supernatant serum examined for evidence of red cell lysis, comparing a tube incubated at 4°C then 37°C with a tube maintained at 37°C. |
| Reference Interval | No lysis in either tube. |
| Application | Diagnosis of paroxysmal cold haemoglobinuria. |
| Interpretation | The Donath Landsteiner antibody is an IgG autoantibody that binds to red cells in the cold and fixes complement; lysis occurs when cells are warmed to 37°C. Presence of the antibody is diagnostic for paroxysmal cold haemoglobinuria. This rare disorder may occur in syphilis and after viral infections in children. |
| Reference | Mitchell Lewis S, Bain BJ, Bates I. Dacie and Lewis Practical Haematology. Churchill Livingstone. 10th ed 2006. |