title: Frequency and specificity of red blood cell alloimmunization in chilean transfused patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alloimmunization is an adverse effect of blood transfusions. In Chile, alloimmunization frequency is not established, and for this reason the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and specificity of red blood cell (RBC) alloantibodies in Chilean transfused subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Records from 4,716 multi-transfused patients were analyzed. In these patients, antibody screening was carried out prior to cross-matching with a commercially available two-cell panel by the microcolum gel test, and samples with a positive screen were analyzed for the specificity of the alloantibody with a 16-cell identification panel.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of RBC alloimmunization in transfused patients was 1.02% (48/4,716) with a higher prevalence in women (40/48). We detected 52 antibodies, the most frequent specificities identified were anti-E (30.8%), anti-K (26.9%), anti-D (7.7%), and anti-Fy(a) (5.8%). The highest incidence of alloantibodies was observed in cancer and gastroenterology patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data demonstrated a low alloimmunization frequency in Chilean transfused patients, principally associated with antibodies anti-E, anti-K, anti-D, and anti-Fy(a).
authors.affiliation: Banco de Sangre Hospital Dr. Hernán Henríquez Aravena, Temuco, Chile ; Facultad de Salud Universidad Santo Tomás, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caamaño
authors.affiliation: Banco de Sangre Hospital Dr. Hernán Henríquez Aravena, Temuco, Chile ; Facultad de Salud Universidad Santo Tomás, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Evangelina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Musante
authors.affiliation: Banco de Sangre Hospital Dr. Hernán Henríquez Aravena, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Contreras
authors.affiliation: Banco de Sangre Hospital Dr. Hernán Henríquez Aravena, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Hernán
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ulloa
authors.affiliation: Banco de Sangre Hospital Dr. Hernán Henríquez Aravena, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.affiliation: Banco de Sangre Hospital Dr. Hernán Henríquez Aravena, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Inaipil
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biología Molecular y Farmacogenética, Núcleo Científico-Tecnológico en Biorecursos, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Nicolás
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saavedra
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile ; Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad San Sebastián, Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: Neftalí
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guzmán
keywords: Alloimmunization; Red blood cell transfusion; Unexpected antibodies