Cold Agglutinins

Casandra

Casandra Test Code AR16614Version 1 (DRAFT)

Performing Lab

Lab ARUP LaboratoriesLab Test ID 0050175CPT Code 86157

Also known as: COLD

Clinical Use

Order Test

Use

The Cold Agglutinins test is used to diagnose conditions associated with elevated titers of cold agglutinins, primarily in cases of primary atypical pneumonia and certain hemolytic anemias. Elevated titers are rarely seen except in these conditions. Primary atypical pneumonia can be caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, influenza A, influenza B, parainfluenza, and adenoviruses. The test is important because a fourfold rise in cold agglutinins usually begins to appear late in the first week or during the second week of the disease and begins to decrease between the fourth and sixth weeks. Low titers of cold agglutinins can also be present in malaria, peripheral vascular disease, and common respiratory disease.

Special Instructions

Keep the collected serum sample in warm water (37 degrees Celsius) until processed for transport by laboratory. Refrigeration of the specimen before separation of serum from cells will adversely affect test results. The specimen should then be transferred to an ARUP standard transport tube.

Limitations

The test has limitations in that titers must reach 1:32 or higher to be considered elevated. The presence of elevated titers alone may not be diagnostic of a specific condition unless correlated with clinical findings and other diagnostic tests. Additionally, if the agglutination is not reversible after incubation at 37 degrees Celsius, the reaction is likely not due to cold agglutinins.

Test Details

New York Approved