Delayed and acute hemolytic transfusion reactions resulting from red cell antibodies and red cell-reactive HLA...

It has been controversial whether HLA antibodies cause hemolytic transfusion reactions (HTR) or shortened red blood cell (RBC) survival. A patient is reported who had two episodes of HTR, the latter of which was likely due to RBC-reactive HLA antibodies.

A 77-year-old woman, admitted for gastric varix rupture, had no RBC-irregular antibodies detected before transfusion. On Hospital Day 12, after transfusion of 2 units of RBCs and 2 units of fresh-frozen plasma, the first delayed hemolytic episode occurred and anti-E, anti-c, anti-Jk(a), and unidentified RBC-reactive antibodies were detected in a serum sample from Day 14. Two additional units of matched RBCs were transfused with a leukoreduction filter on Days 19 and 22. After 4 hours of starting a transfusion on Day 22, the patient had fever, and a second hemolytic episode was recorded. Multireactive HLA antibodies (reactive against 20 of 20 donor panel lymphocytes) were detected in serum samples from Day 15 to Day 21. These HLA antibodies reacted strongly with HLA-A2 and HLA-B7 antigens, corresponding to Bg(c) and Bg(a) antigens on RBCs, respectively. RBCs transfused on Day 22 were found to be HLA-A2 by genotyping.

Strong HLA alloantibodies in this recipient appear to have caused a HTR. It is suggested that HLA antibodies be considered in patients with unexplained HTRs.