Efficacy of sutimlimab for cold agglutinin disease in a patient on chronic hemodialysis

Reports of cold agglutinin disease (CAD), an autoimmune hemolytic anemia, in dialysis patients are limited. Recently, sutimlimab for CAD was covered by insurance. Herein, we report a case in which sutimlimab was effective in the treatment of CAD in a patient undergoing hemodialysis (HD). The patient was a 73 year-old Japanese man with an 11 year history of HD for diabetic nephropathy. He was admitted to our hospital for examination and treatment of erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA)-induced hyporesponsive anemia and fatigue, which was present in the previous year October to March when temperatures were cooler. The patient was diagnosed with hemolytic anemia based on decreased hemoglobin levels, elevated reticulocyte count, elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels, and decreased haptoglobin levels. Furthermore, he was diagnosed with CAD based on a positive direct antiglobulin test for C3 and cold agglutinin tests. The patient did not respond well to an elevated dialysate temperature or rituximab therapy. After initiating sutimlimab treatment, an increase in the hemoglobin level was observed despite a decrease in temperature, and his fatigue disappeared. Anemia in hemodialysis patients is generally renal; however, some ESA resistance exists, which may be due to hemolytic anemia. In this case, the use of sutimlimab was effective in controlling hemolytic anemia due to CAD.