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Detection of Irregular Red Cell Antibodies: More than 3 Years of Experience with a Gel Technique and Pooled Screening Cells
Author(s) -
Titlestad Kjell,
Georgsen Jørgen,
Andersen Helle,
Kristensen Tom
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
vox sanguinis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.68
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1423-0410
pISSN - 0042-9007
DOI - 10.1046/j.1423-0410.1997.7340246.x
Subject(s) - antibody , serology , medicine , agglutination (biology) , red cell , red blood cell , screening test , antigen , immunology , direct agglutination test , family medicine
Background and objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate more than 3 years of experience with a gel technique in combination with pooled screening cells for the detection of irregular red cell antibodies. Materials and methods: Conventional serologic methods were used for blood typing, antibody screening and cross‐matching until the end of 1992. We introduced the gel technique as a routine assay for antibody detection and identification in 1993. Results: After the tube technique had been abandoned, the number of false‐positive antibody screening tests was reduced by 71%, positive antibody screening tests by 33%, enzyme agglutination by 100% and rouleaux reactions and cold‐reacting antibodies by more than 50%. There was a 40% increase in first‐time detection of clinically relevant antibodies. We saw no increase in delayed haemolytic transfusion reactions. Conclusions: For the detection of irregular red cell antibodies, pooled screening cells in combination with a gel technique are at least as efficient and safe as a conventional tube technique with unpooled test cells.