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Clinical and Serologic Management of Patients with Methyldopa‐Induced Positive Antiglobulin Tests
Author(s) -
Snyder E. L.,
Spivack M.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
transfusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.045
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1537-2995
pISSN - 0041-1132
DOI - 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1979.19379204213.x
Subject(s) - serology , hemolysis , coombs test , medicine , antibody , methyldopa , immunology , drug , pharmacology , blood pressure
Methyldopa can produce both a positive direct antiglobulin test and less commonly a positive indirect antiglobulin test. When the drug‐induced antibody is present in the serum, it acts as a panagglutinin and reacts with all normal red blood cells; consequently crossmatch‐compatible blood cannot be prepared. Although the methyldopa‐induced antibody itself rarely produces hemolysis, difficulties can arise in previously unscreened patients in whom the panagglutinin may mask an unknown, pre‐existing, and potentially hemolytic alloantibody. We report on our clinical and serologic management of 14 such patients for whom transfusions were requested.