Frequency of Extended Red Cell Antigen Phenotype Among Patients of Hematological Diseases: A Single Center Study

Background Alloimmunization of erythrocytes is a major problem in patients with hematological diseases that require frequent blood transfusions. Matching of extended red cell antigens of Kell, MNS, Kidd, and Duffy can decrease the risk of alloimmunization. Hence, in this study, the frequencies of the extended red cell phenotypes were explored. Objective To find out the frequency of extended red blood cell antigen phenotypes among patients with hematological diseases. Methods This cross-sectional research study was performed on 488 patients diagnosed with hematological diseases who required blood transfusion at the National Institute of Blood Disease and Bone Marrow Transplantation Karachi for a period of 1.42 years from November 2019 to March 2021. The blood of patients was analyzed for antigen phenotypes of different blood group systems including Kell, MNS, Kidd, and Duffy. The data obtained were interpreted. Results Among the 488 patients, 284 (58.20%) patients were male, and 204 (41.80%) patients were female with a mean age of 8.1 years. Beta thalassemia was the most common hematological disease reported in 354 (72.5%) of the patients. The most common blood group was O positive reported in 182 (37.3%) of the patients followed by B positive blood group in 124 (25.4%). The frequencies of extended red cell antigen phenotypes in the patients were K antigen 14 (2.9%), Kp^a antigen 26 (5.3%), Kp^b antigen 424 (86.9%), Fy^a antigen 360 (73.8%), Fy^b antigen 260 (53.3%), Jk^a antigen 294 (60.2%), Jk^b antigen 326 (66.8%), M antigen 410 (84.0%) and N antigen 306 (62.7%). Conclusion Beta thalassemia was the most common hematological disease followed by iron deficiency anemia, aplastic anemia, and acute leukemia. Patients with hematological diseases had a higher prevalence of Kp^b antigen followed by M, Fy^a, Jk^b, N, Jk^a, Fy^b, Kp^a, and K antigen. O positive was the most frequent blood group followed by B positive, A positive and AB positive blood group.