Life-threatening autoimmune hemolytic anemia in a patient with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Increasing numbers of patients are being seen with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). An abnormal serology with a positive direct antiglobulin test has been observed in these patients and is usually not thought to contribute to significant clinical morbidity. We describe a patient with AIDS who presented with a severe hemolytic anemia which was not distinguishable clinically and serologically from the idiopathic form of autoimmune hemolytic anemia.