Red cell autoantibody mimicking anti-C specificity: a rare manifestation

The association of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a known phenomenon. In many cases of AIHA, no autoantibody specificity is present. The patient’s serum reacts with all of the red blood cell (RBC) samples tested and the autoantibody appears to have broad specificity in the Rh blood group system. Occasionally, RBC autoantibodies demonstrate apparent specificity for simple Rh antigens but autoantibodies to Wrb, Kpb, Jka, and U antigens have also been reported.1,2 We hereby report a rare example of an autoantibody mimicking anti-C specificity in a patient with lupus nephritis.