[Hemolytic anemia in adults: Main causes and diagnostic procedure]. / Anémie hémolytique chez l'adulte : principales causes et démarche diagnostique.

ABSTRACT

Hemolytic anemia (HA) is not an exceptional situation in adults. While establishing the hemolytic mechanism of an anemia is usually rather easy, finding the etiology may be quite difficult as both some hereditary (corpuscular) and acquired causes of HA may occur during adulthood. The diagnosis of HA therefore requires a multiple step procedure taking into account both patient's and family history, a careful analysis of the blood smear and a direct antiglobulin test. Based on these first data, the diagnosis procedure may then require more specific tests whose indications are discussed in this review.