title: Alloimmunization among patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia in Taiwan.
abstract: The development of erythrocyte alloantibodies complicates transfusion therapy in patients with thalassemia. However, no data are available on the frequency of erythrocyte alloimmunization in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia in Taiwan. We analysed the clinical and transfusion records of 30 individuals (15 females and 15 males; mean age, 20 years; range, 4-31 years) with thalassemia who had regular transfusions for periods ranging from 0.5 to 20 years. Of the 30 patients, 28 who had beta-thalassemia major and two who had Hb H disease (alpha thalassemia), 11 (37%) were found to carry alloantibodies. All alloantibodies were clinically significant specificities, including four cases of anti-E, two of anti-E + c, two of anti-'Mi(a)', one of anti-'Mi(a)' + E, one of anti-D and one of anti-S. Alloimmunization to erythrocyte antigens is a frequent complication in transfusion-dependent thalassemia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: L-Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: D-C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: H-C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: F-C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: C-L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Y-S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D013624:Taiwan; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000150:complications*; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D007518:Isoantibodies