Red blood cell alloimmunisation among Chinese patients with β-thalassaemia major in Taiwan

• Published in: Blood transfusion = Trasfusione del sangue 2013-01, Vol.11 (1), p.71-74
• Main Authors: Chao, Yu-Hua, Wu, Kang-Hsi, Lu, Jang-Jih, Shih, Mu-Chin, Peng, Ching-Tien, Chang, Ci-Wen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; beta-Thalassemia - blood; beta-Thalassemia - immunology; beta-Thalassemia - therapy; Blood Group Incompatibility - blood; Blood Group Incompatibility - immunology; Child; Erythrocyte Transfusion - adverse effects; Erythrocytes - immunology; Erythrocytes - metabolism; Female; Humans; Isoantibodies - blood; Isoantibodies - immunology; Male; Original; Retrospective Studies; Taiwan
• ISSN: 1723-2007
• DOI: 10.2450/2012.0153-11

The development of red blood cell (RBC) antibodies can significantly complicate transfusion therapy in transfusion-dependent patients with thalassaemia. However, few data are available on the frequency of RBC alloimmunisation in the Chinese population with β-thalassaemia major. In this retrospective study, we investigated the development of RBC antibodies among Chinese patients with β-thalassaemia major who had received long-term transfusion therapy with leucodepleted blood in our hospital over a period of 20 years. Of the 64 patients studied, six (9.4%) developed RBC alloantibodies, including four anti-E, one anti-C and one anti-"Mi(a)". All of the six alloimmunised patients had experienced previous transfusion reactions, while only 12 of the 58 non-immunised patients had had previous transfusion reactions (100% vs 15.5%; p