Familial Autoimmune Haemolytic Anaemia Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Pernicious Anaemia

S ummary . A family was studied in which one son, a daughter and a paternal aunt showed clinical and laboratory evidence of autoimmune haemolytic disease. The father has long-standing rheumatoid arthritis, another son has proven pernicious anaemia while one daughter, though clinically well, exhibits mild serological abnormality. Other clinically normal members of this family were also investigated. Anti-parietal cell antibodies were demonstrated in one case of autoimmune haemolytic disease in addition to being noted in the serum of the member with pernicious anaemia. The direct antiglobulin reaction was strongly positive in those affected by haemolytic disease, but in addition a weak positive reaction was demonstrated in the case of pernicious anaemia where eluate studies indicated the possibility of an antibody similar in nature to the one present in the haemolytic cases, rather than a non-specific reaction. The pattern of cold auto-antibodies, warm auto- and iso-antibodies and other abnormal serology found in the blood of different members of this family would appear to suggest a common hereditary basis for the diseases present.