RED CELL ALLOIMMUNIZATION IN REPEATEDLY TRANSFUSED CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE PATIENTS IN JAIPUR.

Background: Alloantibodies formation against red blood cell (RBC) antigens is the most common complication of transfusion therapy especially in multiple transfusions. Chronic renal failure (CRF) patients need regular blood transfusion support to treat anemia additional to recombinant human erythropoietin (RHuEpo) treatment. Aim: To determine the frequency of red cell alloantibodies in (CRF) patients and to identify the common alloantibodies. Materials and Methods: A total of 39 samples were collected from chronic renal failure patients from Nims and SDM Hospital in Jaipur-India. Laboratory investigations have done by (BioVue cassettes based on Column Agglutination Technology) in blood bank - SDM Hospital include: ABO, Rh blood grouping and Du testing, Indirect Comp?s Test (ICT), Antibody screening by Ortho Surgiscreen (3 cell panel in Ortho BioVue AHG polyspecific cassettes), antibody identification using 11 cells panel by Ortho Resolve Panel. Results: Out of 39 patients of CRF 24 (61.5%) were males and 15 (38.5%) were females. The prevalence of alloantibodies among CRF patients was 18 % and the most common alloantibodies were anti-M (25%) which is detected in 2 patients and (Anti-C, Anti-c, Anti-E, Anti-N, Anti-Fya, Anti-Fyb) were at the same rate (12%) where all antibodies were IgG class. The most common blood group among our patients was B positive which is detected in 5 patients (71%). Conclusion: Several factors might have contributed to the high a lloimmunization prevalence observed in this study, heterogeneity of the population living in Jaipur, lack of better-matched donors for those patients, no use of leukodepleted blood. Antibodies screening of patients and antigens detection on RBCs of donor especially (Rh and Kell antigens) have to do to avoid development new alloantibodies.