Role of antibody screening in high titre group O donors

Abstract

Red Cells, Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) and Platelets (RDP/SDP) prepared from donors with group O may have high titers of anti-A, anti-B and/or anti-A,B antibodies. When such components given to non-group O patients, this high titre can result in haemolytic transfusion reactions (HTRs). Such group O donors are generally termed ‘high-titer group O donors. Significant amounts of ABO antigen being present on the platelet surface and anti-ABO iso-agglutinins being present in the donor’s plasma, Platelet transfusions need to take into account the issues. Although relatively rare, but acute intravascular haemolytic transfusion reaction has been caused by passive transfer of anti-A and anti-B antibodies, present in group O donors. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of high titre antibodies in group O donors. Thus, titre are performed in randomly selected group O donors from different gender and age group to identify best available source of products for Platelet and follow up transfusions.: Randomly selected 100 O blood group donors were included in the study. Samples from these donors were tested for ABO antibody (both IgM and IgG) titres using conventional tube technique at RT and 37°C at Indirect Antiglobulin phase. Statistical analysis was performed using two sample t-test and anova test.Donors included in the present study were mainly male (85%) donors. ABO antibody titres ranged from 0 to 2048. In the present study, Anti-B (IgG) titer is significantly higher than other antibodies in both genders.There are a large proportion of group O donors having high titres of antibodies and hence a routine pretransfusion screening for such antibodies can prevent the development of hemolytic transfusion reaction by issuing only low titre components for out of group transfusions.Each Blood Transfusion Service should establish a policy for testing and issue of group O platelets to non-O group recipient to avoid chances of development of adverse transfusion reaction.