Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA), also called warm hemolysis, is the most common form of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), accounting for 60% to 70% of all cases. This rare disease involves IgG antibodies that bind and destroy red blood cells at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius), or normal body temperature.
Some of the most common symptoms to wAIHA are tiredness, dizziness, jaundice (yellowing skin), and heart palpitations. From mild to severe, managing wAIHA can be a lifelong condition and challenging at times, especially as the weather changes.
Cold weather may not be a primary threat to wAIHA symptoms, but temperature extremes—especially sudden changes—can compromise the body’s ability to regulate its internal temperature. Disruption of the body’s ability to thermoregulate can lead to too low (hypothermia) or too high (hyperthermia) temperatures. Drastic fluctuations could trigger hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells), especially with cold agglutinin disease (CAD), a form of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA).
Taking good care of your health is important year-round with a wAIHA diagnosis, but even more so with weather changes and the rise in illnesses. Here are four tips to stay healthy and manage your wAIHA symptoms.
Reduce your infection risk. Stay away from sick people and large crowds. Avoid foods that can expose you to bacteria, like uncooked foods. Wash your hands often and brush your teeth to reduce mouth and throat infections.
Prioritize rest. Studies have shown that oxygen and nutrient supply, mood, and sleep are closely linked to fatigue in many autoimmune diseases, including wAIHA. Feeling more tired than usual is a normal symptom of wAIHA and can be aggravated by sudden shifts in weather and darker days. Sudden weather changes require your body to adapt to constantly changing conditions, leaving you seriously fatigued. Experts recommend between seven and nine hours of sleep per night for adults.
Eat a variety of healthy, whole, fresh, antioxidant-rich foods. Inflammation is a common part of autoimmune conditions, including wAIHA. Enhance your nutritional support by eating antioxidant-rich foods—like berries, nuts, seeds, and brightly colored fruits and vegetables—to help mitigate inflammation and protect cells from oxidative stress (an imbalance that leads to cell damage).
Stay active. While weather changes can limit your time (and desire) to get moving, it's important to remember the benefits of staying active. An analysis of 80 studies found that regular exercise decreases feelings of fatigue and increases the feeling of energy. As the weather shifts, look for safe and fun ways to remain active indoors like walking in an indoor public space, taking an aquatic fitness or yoga class, or doing low impact cardio like dancing. Staying active is a key part of managing wAIHA and can help you feel more energized and positive.
To learn more about warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, click here.
