Immunohematology Boot Camp: Cold Antibodies - Considerations for CAD, PCH and CAS (26EL-646)

Please note: AABB reserves the right to make updates to this program.

• Educational Track: Technical/Clinical
• Topics: Blood Donation & Collection, Patient Transfusion
• Intended Audience: Hospital Blood Banks, Hospitals, Immunohematology Reference Labs (IRL’s), Laboratory Staff, Managers/Supervisors, Medical Directors, Nurses, Physicians, Residents/Fellows, Students (MD, MT, SBB), Technologists
• Teaching Level: Advanced, Basic, Intermediate

• Director/Moderator: Beth Meyer, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CMSBB^CM, Supervisor, Immunohematology Reference Laboratory, American Red Cross, Maryland Heights, MO
  Speaker: Theresa Nester, MD, Co-CMO and Medical Director, Immunohematology Reference, Integrated Transfusion Service and Donor Testing Laboratories, Bloodworks Northwest; Professor, Dept. of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA

• Program Description

  Cold reactive antibodies are often considered to be clinically insignificant. However, there are some conditions and clonal processes that may lead to hemolytic anemias as a result of a cold reactive antibody. This program will explore hemolytic anemias related to Cold Agglutinin Disease (CAD), Cold Agglutinin Syndrome (CAS), and Paroxysmal Cold Hemoglobinuria (PCH). It will also review the laboratory testing used in the diagnosis and evaluation of autoimmune hemolytic anemia due to cold reactive antibodies, as well as some of the current management strategies.

  Learning Objectives

  After participating in this educational activity, participants should be able to:

  • Differentiate between Cold Agglutinin Disease (CAD) and Cold Agglutinin Syndrome (CAS) and explain their clinical significance and role in autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
  • Identify disease states and conditions that can give rise to CAS.
  • Describe laboratory findings and clinical manifestations in patients with hemolytic anemia due to cold reactive autoantibodies.
  • Briefly discuss the management of patients with ongoing hemolytic anemia arising from these antibodies.

  Registration

  Registration includes access to both the live and on-demand version of this eCast.

  If you are a facility interested in participating in this eCast, simply complete the Group Viewing registration form and AABB will provide detailed instructions to share with your team approximately one week prior to the live program (each team member to register for the program utilizing a promocode). For single viewers, simply click on the Register button below to register.

  Please note: registration for the live eCast will close 1 hour prior to the eCast start time. If you register after this time, you will receive access to the on-demand eCast when it is available.

  Single Viewer	Register
  Group Viewing	Register

  Continuing Education Credit

  This activity is eligible for one (1) continuing education credit/contact hour for Physicians, California Nurses, California Lab Personnel, Florida Lab Personnel and General Participation credit. AABB reserves the right to reduce or increase the number of credits granted based on the final activity duration. For more information on each credit type please visit our Continuing Education Credits webpage.

  There is no financial support for this activity.

  

  In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB), which is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

  Physicians (ACCME): AABB designates this live activity for a maximum of one (1) AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^TM. AABB designates this enduring activity for a maximum of one (1) AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  Claiming Credit
  Live Activity - Upon completion of the live activity, you will receive instructions to complete your evaluation, which is necessary to claim credit and receive your certificate of attendance/completion (credit must be claimed by the date provided in the instructions). The evaluation can be found by logging into the AABB Education Platform.

  Enduring Activity - Once the enduring (on-demand) program is available, you will receive instructions to access the AABB Education Platform. Upon completion of viewing the enduring activity, you will need to complete the evaluation, which is necessary to claim credit and receive your certificate of completion (credit must be claimed by the date provided in the AABB Education Platform).

  Program & Credit Expiration Dates:

  • Live Activity Program Date: June 24, 2026; Credit Expiration Date: July 24, 2026
  • Enduring Activity Program Dates: June 24, 2026 – June 23, 2029; Credit Expiration Date: June 23, 2029

  Disclosure Declaration

  It is the policy of the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, and scientific rigor and integrity in all of its CE activities. Faculty must disclose to the participants any relationships with commercial companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. AABB has evaluated, identified, and mitigated any potential conflicts of interest through a rigorous content validation procedure, use of evidence-based data/research, and a multidisciplinary peer review process. The following information is for participant information only. It is not assumed that the presence of such relationships will have a negative impact on the presentations.

  Disclosures for the planners of this event can be found here. Disclosures for the program faculty, peer reviewers, and AABB personnel are provided at the beginning of the program.

  Faculty Biographies

  Beth Meyer is a supervisor in the Immunohematology Reference Laboratory for The American Red Cross in Maryland Heights, MO. She completed her undergraduate education at Missouri Western State University in 2009 and received her Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science from University of Massachusetts – Lowell in 2013. She spent several years as a generalist MLS before developing an interest in blood banking. She joined The American Red Cross in 2015 as an IRL Technologist where she was involved in training new staff members before moving into management. She completed the Specialist in Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine Program from The American Red Cross and became SBB certified in 2023.

  Dr. Theresa Nester is a clinical pathologist with over 25 years of experience directing laboratories including the integrated transfusion service and immunohematology reference laboratories at Bloodworks Northwest. The IRL receives patient specimens from many PNW clients including those from Seattle Childrens Hospital, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, and the far reaches of Alaska. These patients have afforded many opportunities to study cold agglutinins, their clinical effect, and the newer therapeutic agents used to treat the adverse effects that can result.