Complement-mediated warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia associated with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis: a pediatric case report
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) is one of the most common causes of acute nephritic syndrome in childhood; however, hematological complications are rarely associated with this disease. This article presents a case of a 6.5-year-old male who presented with complaints of pallor and fatigue after a recent upper respiratory tract infection and was diagnosed with autoimmune hemolytic anemia. During hospitalization, the patient developed hypertension, oliguria, and gross hematuria; further evaluation revealed elevated antistreptolysin O levels and markedly low serum complement component 3 levels, leading to a diagnosis of APSGN. The direct antiglobulin test revealed immunoglobulin G negativity along with complement positivity, findings consistent with complement-mediated warm-type autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The patient received corticosteroid therapy, supportive treatment, and antihypertensive agents; following treatment, rapid improvement in hemoglobin levels and complete resolution of renal and hematological findings were achieved. This case highlights the rare association of APSGN with complement-mediated autoimmune hemolytic anemia, emphasizing the need to consider immune-mediated hematological complications in children with unexplained anemia associated with nephritic syndrome.
DOI: 10.51271/jcogp-0068
Language: English
Subfield: Immunology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7127119261