title: Frequency of Red Cell Alloimmunization and Autoimmunization in Thalassemia Patients: A Report from Eastern India.
abstract: Introduction. Red blood cell (RBC) alloimmunization and autoimmunization remain a major problem in transfusion dependent thalassemic patients. There is a paucity of data on the incidence of RBC alloimmunization and autoimmunization in thalassemic patients from eastern part of India, as pretransfusion antibody screening is not routinely performed. Aims. To assess the incidence of RBC alloimmunization and autoimmunization in transfusion dependent thalassemic patients in eastern India. Materials and Methods. Total 500 thalassemia cases were evaluated. The antibody screening and identification were performed with commercially available panel cells (Diapanel, Bio-rad, Switzerland) by column agglutination method. To detect autoantibodies, autocontrol and direct antiglobulin tests were carried out using polyspecific coombs (IgG + C3d) gel cards in all patients. Results. A total of 28 patients developed RBC alloimmunization (5.6%) and 5 patients had autoantibodies (1%). Alloantibody against c had the highest incidence (28.57%) followed by E (21.42%). Five out of 28 (17.85%) patients had developed antibodies against both c and E. Conclusion. Data from this study demonstrate that the RBC alloantibody and autoantibody development rates are significant in our region. Thus, pretransfusion antibody screening needs to be initiated in eastern India in order to ensure safe transfusion practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion Medicine, The Mission Hospital, Durgapur, West Bengal 713212, India.
authors.forename: Suvro Sankha
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Datta
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion Medicine, AIIMS, Bhubaneswar 751019, India.
authors.forename: Somnath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunohematology & Blood Transfusion, MCH, Kolkata 700073, India.
authors.forename: Biplabendu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Talukder
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunohematology & Blood Transfusion, MCH, Kolkata 700073, India.
authors.forename: Prasun
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunohematology & Blood Transfusion, MCH, Kolkata 700073, India.
authors.forename: Krishnendu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mukherjee