Author(s)

Sarah Madeline Brown^*, Philip Jeremy Hampton

Department of Dermatology, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, UK.

Background: Epidermolysis bullosa aquisita (EBA) is a severe acquired blistering skin disease that is often resistant to prednisolone but can respond well to intravenous immunoglobulin infusion (IVIg). Main Observations: We describe the case of a 35 years old male patient with EBA who developed clinically significant haemolytic anaemia with a drop in Hb from 15.3 g/dL to a nadir of 8.4 g/dL within 5 days post IVIg infusion. The patient was blood group A and the IVIg batch was found to have a high titre of anti-A immunoglobulin. Conclusions: IVIg is an effective treatment for EBA. Haemolysis associated with IVIg has not previously been reported in the dermatology literature but review of data from other specialties shows that the problem is well recognised. Dermatologists using IVIg should be aware of this potential complication and patients should be consented appropriately and warned about this potential side effect.

Haemolytic Anaemia, Haemolysis, Intravenous Immunoglobulin, Epidermolysis Bullosa Aquisita, EBA

Brown, S. and Hampton, P. (2016) Haemolytic Anaemia Following High Dose Intravenous Immunoglobulin Treatment for Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita. Pharmacology & Pharmacy, 7, 25-28. doi: 10.4236/pp.2016.71004.