What is the expected level of haptoglobin in a patient with hemolytic anemia due to agglutinin disease?

In hemolytic anemia, particularly in cases like agglutinin disease, the breakdown of red blood cells occurs at an accelerated rate. Haptoglobin is a protein produced by the liver that binds free hemoglobin released into the bloodstream when red blood cells are destroyed. Its primary role is to transport hemoglobin to the liver for recycling, thereby preventing loss of iron and other components.

In the scenario of hemolytic anemia, there is an increased production of hemoglobin that exceeds the binding capacity of haptoglobin. Consequently, the levels of haptoglobin are expected to decrease because it gets consumed in the process of binding to the excess free hemoglobin. As more red blood cells are lysed and hemoglobin enters the circulation, haptoglobin levels fall due to its usage. Therefore, one would expect to see low levels of haptoglobin in patients suffering from hemolytic anemia as a result of agglutinin disease, confirming that option indicating low haptoglobin is indeed the correct choice.