RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia (DIIHA) is a rare complication of any drug therapy, which if not recognized early can be fatal. It is usually underdiagnosed. Ceftriaxone is a commonly used antibiotic in routine practice and is one of the most common drugs to cause DIIHA. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of ceftriaxone-induced immune hemolytic anemia in a 62-year-old woman who had a negative result of a direct antiglobulin test. DISCUSSION: A review of the literature highlights the salient features of DIIHA and underscores the importance of keeping the suspicion of DIIHA high in the relevant clinical settings because ceftriaxone has been associated with particularly severe outcomes of DIIHA. In cases of unclear hemolysis and despite a negative result of a direct antiglobulin test, the treating physician must keep suspicion of DIIHA high and meticulously look for the possible culprit drugs. Treatment with suspected drugs must be stopped promptly to prevent severe complications and fatal outcomes.
