title: Increased risk of a positive test for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBC) in autologous blood donors.
abstract: Controversy exists about the suitability of blood from autologous donors for homologous use. We compared the infectious disease test results of 426 autologous donors, designated by donor history as suitable for homologous use, to those of 86,138 volunteer donations collected over the same 5 month period. Although donor characteristics differed, the relative risk of a positive test for anti-HBc in the autologous group was 2.09. When 413 autologous donors were compared to 413 volunteer donors matched for age, sex, and zip code, the relative risk of a positive test for anti-HBc in the autologous group was 3.2. If anti-HBc is a marker for non-A, non-B hepatitis transmissibility, then our autologous group is not as safe as our volunteer donors. We recommend that autologous blood, even when designated by donor history and laboratory screening results as suitable for homologous transfusion, not be used for other than the intended autologous recipient.
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Emory University School of Medicine.
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: Grossman
authors: N C
authors: NC
authors: Stewart
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Grindon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens