Long-term in vivo survival of Rh(D)-negative donor red cells in a patient with anti-LW.
The present study documents immediate and long-term survival of crossmatch-incompatible Rh(D)-negative donor red cells in a patient with anti-LW. A 67-year-old group A Rh(D)-positive man was admitted for urgent coronary artery bypass surgery. The direct antiglobulin test (DAT) was weakly positive in two of five laboratories. His serum contained anti-LW (two laboratories); his red cells were LW negative (three antisera). Two siblings were LW-positive. Surgery was delayed, and 3 ml Rh(D)-negative crossmatch-incompatible red cells stored in citrate-phosphate-dextrose-adenine-one were labeled with 25 microCi of 51Cr and injected. Immediate survival was approximately 100 percent with 92 percent survival at 20 hours. Six daily blood samples showed a decreased red cell lifespan, (T 1/2 = 14 days). Because of medical complications, 4 units of Rh(D)-negative crossmatch-incompatible blood were then transfused without clinical or hemolytic reaction. The anti-IgG DAT became stronger. In vivo survival of the remaining 51Cr-RBCs became normal (T 1/2 28 days over the succeeding 20 days). Following transfusion, no change in serum antibody strength was demonstrated by double-blind titration of seven coded samples. The observations support modest reduction of lifespan for 3 ml of LW-positive red cells, but normal survival following subsequent transfusion of approximately 700 ml of LW-positive red cells.
D000368:Aged; D001787:Blood Group Incompatibility / Q000097:blood; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D004905:Erythrocyte Aging; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D006801:Humans; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D007518:Isoantibodies; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System; C026410:Rho(D) antigen