Providing compatible blood to patients with alloantibodies in ne Slovenia

Abstract

Background: Erythrocyte alloantibodies often occur, especially in the case of polytransfusion and in pregnant women. Fast diagnosis and a compatible transfusion of the blood component are important to prevent an early or delayed post transfusion haemolytic reaction. We have analysed our efficiency to provide red cell units for these patients in our hospital and in the general hospitals of Ptuj and Murska Sobota. Methods: We analysed retrospectively which examinations had been done in sensitized patients, how successful we have been in finding appropriate blood for erythrocyte transfusion. We also analysed the proposed algorithm of the immunohaematological testing in our Centre. Results: At the Centre for transfusion medicine–CTM Maribor, we have provided compatible transfusions to 67 patients in the last year, for which we made 6215 tests to provide appropriate blood components. We were looking for compatibility between the serum of the patient and erythrocytes of the blood donor by a technique in which the antibodies showed the highest reactivity. In patients with antibodies of the Rh-system (D, E, e, C, c), Kell, Kidd, Duffy and MNS, we always provided antigen negative component, and in others a compatible component (negative result of cross match). Sometimes the appropriate blood was found based on already defined antigens in blood donors by means of the information system. If the appropriate component was found at the Unit for Transfusion Medicine in Ptuj or Murska Sobota the crossmatch was done there and the interpretation was done at the CTM by means of the teleconsultation system. Conclusions: In most cases we provided blood components successfully and relatively quickly, while in some cases, other transfusion centres were helping us out, especially the Blood Transfusion Centre Ljubljana and the Transfusion centre Celje.