Anemia complicating chronic lymphocytic leukemia may have various causes: blood loss, depressed erythropoiesis associated with leukemic infiltration of the bone marrow,1,2folic acid deficiency,3and hemolysis.1,2Shortening of red blood cell survival is frequent in chronic lymphocytic leukemia,4,5but only in some patients the hemolysis becomes "overt." Severe anemia develops4when the bone marrow is not able to compensate for the accelerated red cell destruction. Then there may be jaundice with elevated indirectreacting serum bilirubin, spherocytosis with increased osmotic fragility, reticulocytosis, a positive Coombs test,4cold or warm agglutinins,4,6and leukemic infiltration with erythroid hyperplasia of the bone marrow. Hemolytic anemia in chronic lymphocytic leukemia may be so severe as to be the main problem requiring intensive treatment. Remission of the hemolytic anemia has followed antileukemic therapy, such as alkylating drugs and spray irradiation5or by corticoid hormones.2,5,7Splenectomy has been