Transfusion Science Webinar: Warm AIHA: Diagnostic Insights and Transfusion Strategies

Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (wAIHA) presents a unique set of diagnostic and transfusion challenges that require timely, coordinated laboratory and clinical approaches.

In this webinar, Sudipta Sekhar Das explores the key diagnostic features of wAIHA, including serologic testing, differential diagnosis, and the role of the blood bank in confirming immune-mediated hemolysis. He gives special attention to transfusion strategies in this complex setting, highlighting the risks, benefits, and decision-making processes involved in supporting patients with autoantibodies.

He also discusses treatment options, from first-line corticosteroids to second-line therapies such as rituximab and immunosuppressants. This session provides practical insights and a case-based discussion to improve the management of wAIHA in clinical practice.

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Sudipta Sekhar Das,
MD,
PDCC

Sudipta Sekhar Das is a leading academic and clinician in transfusion medicine. He holds an MD and a post-doctoral fellowship in apheresis technology from SGPGIMS, Lucknow, India. Currently, he is a professor and the head of transfusion medicine at Apollo Hospitals, Kolkata, and a faculty member of the Apollo Hospitals Educational & Research Foundation. He has played a key role in advancing transfusion practices in eastern India and serves as a NABH assessor and advisor to state governments. He contributes to national programs, including the National Hemovigilance Program, and is a resource expert for the government of India. He is a prolific researcher with over 75 publications. His work has earned him numerous honors, including the Harold Gunson Award in 2013 and the Apollo’s Outstanding Academic Award in 2023. He is the editor-in-chief of the Indian Society of Transfusion Medicine and serves on multiple international editorial boards.