The results of prolonged treatment of autoimmune haemolytic anaemia.

Ninety-seven patients with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia were observed in the period between 1965 and 1979. Corticosteroids were found to be more effective in the acute phase of haemolysis (68.6%) than in the prolonged treatment (35%). Favourable results with combined treatment (corticosteroids plus azathioprine or cyclophosphamide) were achieved in 60.5% of patients, while the therapeutic potency of corticosteroids alone was 18.6%. Splenectomy was effective in 81% of the patients. No correlation between postsplenectomy results and spleen to liver radioactivity ratio was observed.