title: Red blood cell and leukocyte alloimmunization in patients awaiting kidney transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the rates of red blood cell and leukocyte alloimmunization in patients with chronic kidney disease awaiting kidney transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional and prospective study, the serum of 393 chronic kidney disease patients on a transplant waiting list in Ceará, Northeastern Brazil were tested for red cell and leukocyte antibodies. In addition, demographic, clinical and laboratory data were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age in the sample of 393 patients was 34.1 ± 14 years. Slightly more than half (208; 52.9%) were male. The average numbers of transfusions and gestations were 3.1 ± 3.3 and 1.6 ± 6, respectively. One third (33.6%) were alloimmunized: 78% with leukocyte antibodies, 9.1% with red cell antibodies and 12.9% with both. Red cell antibodies were detected in 29 cases (7.4%), 17 of whom were women, who had received more transfusions than the males (p-value < 0.0001). The most frequently detected red cell antibodies belonged to the Rh (24.1%) and Kell (13.8%) blood group systems. Leukocyte antibodies were detected in 30.5% of cases, 83 of whom were women, who had received more transfusions than the males (p-value < 0.0001) and were more reactive to panel reactive antibodies (p-value < 0.0001). The mean alloreactivity to panel reactive antibodies was 47.7 ± 31.2%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic kidney disease patients on the transplant waiting list in Ceará, Brazil, display high rates of red cell (7.4%) and leukocyte (30.5%) alloimmunization. In this sample, alloimmunization was significantly associated with the number of transfusions and gender.
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Fortaleza - Unifor, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil ; Centro de Pesquisas em Doenças Hepato-Renais - CPDHR, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvia Fernandes Ribeiro
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Gláucia Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Sonia Leite
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Tânia Maria de Oliveira
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Ilana Farias
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Thyciana Rodrigues
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Maria do Carmo Serpa
authors.initials: Mdo C
authors.lastname: Cavalcante
keywords: Antibodies; Blood transfusion; Cross-sectional studies; Erythrocyte transfusion; Kidney failure, chronic; Kidney transplantation
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