Automated screening of red cells for the detection of autoantibodies

The AutoAnalyser Technicon II system was adapted for screening red cells for the presence of warm-type autoantibodies. A significant decrease in optical density was recorded when the red cells of 38 patients with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia were tested using the bromelin-methylcellulose method. This was never seen with the red cells of 226 patients with other diseases or of healthy blood donors. The method is very simple and more sensitive than the manual direct antiglobulin test.