Acute Ischemic Stroke Showing Microembolic Signals in a Patient With Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

ABSTRACT

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) can be considered in the differential diagnosis of hemolytic anemia with a concomitant cerebral infarction. We report a 79-year-old woman who was stuporous at presentation, and ultimately diagnosed with AIHA and cerebral infarction. Microembolic signals (MES) were detected by transcranial Doppler monitoring on the first hospitalization day. MES disappeared on the sixth hospitalization day following treatment with steroid and anticoagulation. This case represents a rare arterial ischemic complication of AIHA possibly associated with a hypercoagulable state.