How is drug induced hemolytic anemia?

➢ Some drugs (eg, alpha-methyldopa, levodopa) stimulate production of autoantibodies against Rh antigens (in persons who have been taking the antihypertensive medication alpha methyldopa for several month). ➢ The antibodies produced are similar to those in patients with warm-reactive antibody. ➢ However, the condition remits shortly after the cessation of drug treatment. ➢ The antibody-coated cells are mainly sequestered to the reticuloendothelial system in the liver and spleen by Fc or complement-receptor binding. Others produce antibodies against Abx RBC complex (hapten stable [penicillin/ceph] or unstable [quinidine, sulfo)