title: Red cell alloimmunisation in oncology patients: A study from eastern India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Red cell alloimmunisation is an important complication in multi-transfused patients with haematologic and surgical malignancies. Antibody screening with identification is necessary to ensure transfusion safety. Data on the prevalence of alloimmunisation in oncology patients is limited. In this study we assessed multitransfused haematology-oncology patients for red cell alloimmunisation. This was a retrospective analysis undertaken to assess the alloantibody prevalence and determine the antibody specificity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of antibody screening data was done for haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients as well as surgical oncology patients, from April 2013 to May 2014. This included the antibody screening done prior to surgery, antibody screening prior to HSCT and any antibody screening performed for these patients at cross match. Antibody screening was done using the three cell panel (surgiscreen) and if positive, further identification performed using the 11 cell panel (Resolve Panel A). If the antibody screen (three cell panel) was positive, an autocontrol was performed using reverse diluent (Ortho Biovue System) card. Patients with autoantibodies were excluded from this study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our overall red cell alloimmunisation rate was 2.5%. Alloimmunisation rate among HSCT transplant patients was 1.6% as compared to the 2.4% in patients with solid organ malignancies. Keeping in view the low alloimmunisation rate, the justification of repeating antibody screening 72 hours post transfusion in this category of patients needs to be re-assessed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion Medicine, Tata Medical Center, Kolkata, India. Electronic address: dhardrsupriya@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Supriya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dhar
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion Medicine, Tata Medical Center, Kolkata, India.
authors.forename: Sabita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001788:Blood Grouping and Crossmatching / Q000379:methods*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002648:Child; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion / Q000379:methods*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007518:Isoantibodies
keywords: Alloimmunisation; Antibody screen; HSCT