Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 17, 2026
Detection of Antibodies That Neutralize the Cellular Uptake of Enzyme Replacement Therapies with a Cell-based Assay
Published on: September 10, 2018
The Crossmatch/Issue Ratio: Use of a Novel Quality Indicator and Results of an International Survey on RBC
Mark H Yazer1, Ramir Alcantara2, Pouneh Beizai3
1From the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA The Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA myazer@itxm.org.
Objectives:
To understand the worldwide scope of RBC crossmatching and issuing practices and measure efficiency using a novel quality indicator, the crossmatch/issue (C/I) ratio.
Methods:
An electronic survey was disseminated to hospital transfusion services collecting details about RBC crossmatching and issuing practices. Respondents were asked to enumerate the number of RBCs crossmatched and issued at their institutions during the 2014 calendar year to calculate the C/I ratio.
Results:
Fifty-two survey responses were received, mostly from North American transfusion services (28/52, 54%). The electronic crossmatch was the most common technique (n = 29), and most respondents performed the crossmatch at the time that an order for RBCs was received in the transfusion service (even if an order to issue the RBCs was not received). Data to calculate the C/I ratio were supplied by 22 respondents, and the mean ± SD was 1.30 ± 0.34. There was no difference in C/I ratios between services that use the electronic or serologic crossmatch techniques (P = .49). The ratio was the same at the four sites that crossmatch RBCs at the time of issue compared with the time of order receipt (mean ± SD, 1.11 ± 0.09 vs. 1.35 ± 0.36, respectively; P = .19).
Conclusions:
Electronic crossmatching is common, and the C/I ratio can be an indicator of efficiency.
