title: Red cell alloimmunization and autoantibodies in Egyptian transfusion-dependent thalassaemia patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to explore the frequency of red cell alloantibodies and autoantibodies among β-thalassaemia patients who received regular transfusions.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 501 patients with β-thalassaemia. This work planned to study the presence of alloantibodies and autoantibodies to different red cell antigens in multitransfused thalassaemia patients using the ID. Card micro typing system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of a total of 501 β-thalassaemia patients included in the study, 11.3% of patients developed alloantibodies; 9.7% of these alloantibodies were clinically significant. The most common alloantibodies were anti-K, anti-E and anti-C. The rate of incidence of these alloantibodies was 3.9%, 3.3% and 1.7% respectively. Autoantibodies occurred in 28.8% of the patients and 22.1% of these antibodies were typed IgG. There was a significant association between splenectomy with alloimmunization and autoantibody formation (p = 0.03, p = 0.001 respectively). There was no significant association between alloantibody, autoantibody formation and number of transfused packed red cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alloimmunization to minor erythrocyte antigens and erythrocyte autoantibodies of variable clinical significance are frequent findings in transfused β-thalassaemia patients. There is an association between absence of the spleen and the presence of alloimmunization and autoantibody formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Azza Mohamed
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Nehal Salah
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Hasan
authors.forename: Shadia Hassan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ragab
authors.forename: Sonia Adolf
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Habib
authors.forename: Nahed Abdelmonem
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Emara
authors.forename: Azza Ahmed
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Aly