Cold Agglutinin Titer, Quant

Negative results for the Cold Agglutinin Titer, Quantitative test (typically a titer of <1:32) indicate that cold agglutinins are not present at significant levels in the serum. This suggests that the patient is unlikely to have cold agglutinin disease or other conditions associated with high titers of cold agglutinins, such as autoimmune hemolytic anemia or certain infections like Mycoplasma pneumoniae. However, it is important to note that some individuals may have low levels of cold agglutinins that do not cause clinical symptoms, and the test result should be interpreted alongside the patient's clinical symptoms and other diagnostic findings.

A positive titer may mean that the person tested has cold agglutinin disease. Cold agglutinin disease may be primary or secondary, induced by some other disease or condition such as: - Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections—up to 75% of those affected will have increased cold agglutinins. - Mono (infectious mononucleosis)—more than 60% of those affected will have increased cold agglutinins, but anemia is rare with this infection. - Some cancers, including lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma - Some other bacterial infections, such as Legionnaires disease and syphilis - Some parasitic infections, such as malaria - Some viral infections such as HIV, influenza, CMV, EBV, hepatitis C The degree of red blood cell (RBC) hemolysis and hemolytic anemia will vary from person to person and with each episode of cold exposure. Some conditions, such as infectious mononucleosis, are frequently associated with elevated cold agglutinins but rarely associated with anemia.