REVERSIBLE AUTOHEMAGGLUTINATION WITH PERIPHERAL VASCULAR SYMPTOMS

Abstract

Prior to the beginning of the twentieth century transfusion was a dangerous procedure, usually being followed by violent and often fatal reactions. In 1900 Landsteiner¹discovered the cause for these reactions, namely, the presence in the human serum of agglutinins which when mixed with sensitive cells cause marked agglutination. These are called iso-agglutinins because of their specific action on cells from the blood of a subject of the same species and must be differentiated from hetero-agglutinins, which produce similar reactions between the bloods of subjects of different species. On the basis of these iso-agglutinins the four blood groups are distinguished. Certain errors in determining blood groups occasionally have arisen because of pseudo-agglutination or excessive rouleaux formation (Shattock,²1900). This condition is common in cases of acute infection and is apparently due to increased viscosity of the serum. Marked rouleaux formation may cause clumping which simulates true agglutination. Slight