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Long-term follow-up testing of red cell alloantibodies
1Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois.
Background:
In previous studies, 29 to 34 percent of potentially hemolytic red cell antibodies were not detected after short-term follow-up.
Study Design And Methods:
To examine long-term detection, records were reviewed for 44 consecutive patients who were tested more than 5 years after their potentially hemolytic red cell antibodies were first identified in this hospital.
Results:
After 5 to 10 years, 14 (39%) of 36 Rh, Kell, and Duffy system antibodies were not detected on at least one occasion. Twenty-two other such antibodies were sought again after more than 10 years; 10 (45%) were not detected. When restimulation by pregnancy was excluded, these rates were 42 and 48 percent, respectively.
Conclusion:
Clinically significant red cell antibody formation is probably more common than previously realized, because nearly half of these antibodies are undetected after long-term follow-up.