Probability of remaining in unsustained complete remission after steroid therapy withdrawal in patients with primary warm-antibody reactive autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

Background: Primary warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (WAIHA) is a rare autoimmune disorder frequently responding to corticosteroid first-line treatment and effective second-line treatment options such as splenectomy or anti-CD20 antibody therapy. Disease management is frequently hampered by a lack of evidence.

Methods: We have investigated the probability of sustained treatment-free remission after steroid induction to facilitate clinical decision making regarding timing and necessity of second-line treatments.