Cold agglutinins; Weil-Felix reaction; Widal's test; Warm agglutinins; Agglutinins
Agglutinins are antibodies that cause the red blood cells to clump together.
This article describes the blood test that is used to measure the level of these antibodies in the blood.
A blood sample is needed. For information on how this is done, see: Venipuncture
There is no special preparation.
When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing where the needle was inserted.
This test is done to diagnose certain infections and find the cause of hemolytic anemia (a type of anemia that occurs when red blood cells are destroyed). Knowing whether there are warm or cold agglutinins can help explain why the hemolytic anemia is occurring and direct treatment.
The examples above are common measurements for results of these tests. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
An abnormal (positive) result means there were agglutinins in your blood sample.
Warm agglutinins may occur with:
Cold agglutinins may occur with:
Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.
Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight but may include:
If a disease linked to cold agglutinin is suspected, the person needs to be kept warm.
Baum SG. Mycoplasma infections. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 325.
Jäger U, Lechner. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ Jr., Silberstein LE, et al, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 56th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2012:chap 44.
Schwartz RS. Autoimmune and intravascular hemolytic anemias. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 163.BACK TO TOP
Review Date: 5/15/2014
Reviewed By: Jennifer K. Lehrer, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Frankford-Torresdale Hospital, Aria Health System, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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