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Background: Passenger lymphocyte syndrome occurs when donor lymphocytes are transplanted with a solid organ and produce alloantibodies that react with antigens on the recipient's red blood cells (RBCs). Typically, passenger lymphocyte syndrome presents as immunoglobulin G antibody-mediated, extravascular hemolytic anemia with reticulocytosis. Often, the donor was alloimmunized before transplantation.Case Report: A 34-year-old Group O, D+ man with a negative antibody screen received a liver transplant from a Group O, D- donor. Twenty Group O, D+ RBC units were transfused on Postoperative Days (PODs) 0 through 2. On POD 7, the patient developed anemia, a weakly positive antibody screen, and a positive direct antiglobulin test with anti-D in the eluate. After POD 8, a D- transfusion protocol was initiated. Despite laboratory evidence of hemolysis, two initial peripheral blood smears showed no increase in schistocytes or spherocytes, the reticulocyte count was depressed, and a marrow biopsy revealed erythroid hyperplasia. Eventually, anemia resolved after a period of medication non-compliance; however, a positive direct antiglobulin test persisted to the last follow-up date (POD 233).Results: Other potential causes of aplastic anemia were investigated, but no alternative cause was found. History excluded passive anti-D. D+, LW- cells were reactive, excluding anti-LW. Genotyping showed no evidence of a partial D genotype. Chart review revealed that the liver donor had a history of anti-D. A diagnosis of passenger lymphocyte syndrome was reached.Conclusion: Although antibody-mediated hemolytic anemia has been reported to cause reticulocytopenia in the presence of marrow erythroid hyperplasia, this report of passenger lymphocyte syndrome causing a similar post-transplant anemia in association with reticulocytopenia is noteworthy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The table of contents for the June 2016 issue of "Transfusion" is presented.

Background: Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn, classically caused by maternal-fetal incompatibility of the Rh blood group D antigen, can be prevented by RhIG prophylaxis. While prophylactic practices for pregnant women with serologic weak D phenotypes vary widely, RHD genotyping could provide clear guidance for management. This analysis evaluated the financial implications of using RHD genotyping to guide RhIG prophylaxis among pregnant females.Study Design and Methods: A Markov-based model was constructed to evaluate the costs of RHD genotyping for pregnant females with serologic weak D phenotypes to inform RhIG prophylaxis. Using a comparison strategy of managing these women conservatively as D-, direct medical costs were assessed over 10- and 20-year periods for a simulated population of US women. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were used to assess the robustness of conclusions.Results: Using base-case variables, RHD genotyping for pregnant women with serologic weak D phenotypes is expected to marginally reduce overall costs. RHD genotyping these patients, rather than conservatively managing them as D-, would be cost-saving when the cost of genotyping is below $256. Genotyping would decrease net costs among non-Hispanic Caucasian females (-$0.17/pregnancy), but would increase costs among non-Hispanic African Americans (+$0.51/pregnancy), non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaskans (+$0.10/pregnancy), and Hispanics (+$0.37/pregnancy). Incorporating RHD genotyping would not significantly impact costs among Asians and Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders.Conclusions: Using RHD genotyping to guide RhIG prophylaxis among pregnant women with serologic weak D phenotypes may be clinically beneficial without increasing overall costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Prophylactic antigen-matching can reduce alloimmunization rates among chronically transfused patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), but this matching increases costs and may only benefit 30% of patients. We assessed the clinical and financial value of a potential assay for alloimmunization risk that would allow for targeted antigen-matching. Study Design and Methods A Markov-based model evaluated direct medical costs and alloimmunization events over 10 to 20 years among transfused (simple or exchange) patients with SCD. Four matching strategies were evaluated: prospective matching (for all patients), history-based matching (only for patients with prior alloimmunization), perfectly informed matching (assay with 100% sensitivity, 100% specificity), and imperfectly informed matching (reduced accuracy). Under all matching protocols, matching included C, E, K, and any additional alloantibodies present. A hospital perspective was adopted, with costs (2012US$) and events discounted (3%). Results Perfectly informed antigen-matching using a $1000 assay is expected to save $82,334 per patient over 10 years, compared to prospective matching. Perfectly informed antigen-matching is more costly than history-based matching, but reduces alloimmunization events by 45.6% over 10 years. Averting each alloimmunization event using this strategy would cost an additional $10,934 per patient. Imperfectly informed antigen-matching using an assay with 75% specificity and 75% sensitivity is less costly than prospective matching, but increases alloimmunization events. Compared to history-based matching, imperfectly informed matching would decrease alloimmunization events by 32.61%, at an additional cost of $147,915 per patient over 10 years. Cost-effectiveness of informed antigen-matching is largely driven by assay specificity. Conclusions A sufficiently specific assay to inform antigen-matching may be cost-effective in reducing alloimmunization among transfused patients with SCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Sickle cell disease is associated with extensive health care utilization; estimated lifetime costs exceed $460,000 per patient. Approximately 30% of chronically transfused sickle cell patients become alloimmunized to red blood cell antigens, but these patients cannot be identified a priori. Prospective antigen matching can prevent alloimmunization, but is costly and may not benefit most patients. Study Design and Methods A Markov-based model was constructed to compare the health and financial implications of four alternative antigen-matching strategies for chronically transfused sickle cell patients. The strategies varied by the group of patients receiving matched blood (all patients prophylactically or only patients with a history of alloimmunization [history-based]), and by the extent of antigen matching (limited to C, E, and K, or extended to 11 antigens). Direct medical costs and alloimmunization events were assessed over 10- and 20-year periods, for a hypothetical cohort of initially transfusion-naive patients and for a dynamic population. Results Within a hypothetical cohort of initially transfusion-naive patients, implementing prophylactic limited matching for all chronically transfused patients instead of history-based limited matching is expected to cost an additional $765.56 million over 10 years, but result in 2072 fewer alloimmunization events. Within the same cohort, implementing prospective extensive matching is expected to cost $1.86 billion more than history-based extensive matching, but result in 2424 fewer alloimmunization events. Averting a single alloimmunization event using prospective matching would cost $369,482 to $769,284. Among a dynamic population over 10 years, prospective limited matching is expected to cost $358.34 million more than history-based limited matching. Conclusions While prospective matching for all transfused patients would reduce alloimmunization, this strategy requires considerable expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Thousands of patients with chronic renal failure die yearly without a kidney transplant due to the severe shortage of donors. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is performed to permit ABO-incompatible (ABO-I) kidney transplants, but little is known about how well TPE reduces ABO antibodies or complications related to TPE in this clinical setting. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated 46 individuals that received TPE to permit ABO-I kidney transplant. The number of TPE treatments was based on a goal ABO titer at the anti-human globulin (AHG) phase of 16 or less before surgery. RESULTS: Before TPE, the median titer of recipient was 32 (range, 2-128) at room temperature (RT) phase and 64 (range, 4-1024) at AHG phase. The first TPE reduced the total agglutination reactivity score at AHG phase by 10.2 percent. Before transplantation, there was a mean of 6.2 ± 2.5 TPE treatments and total agglutination reactivity score at AHG phase was reduced by 53.5 percent. The median titer remained reduced at 3 to 6 months after transplantation at 4 (range, 0-64) at RT phase and 8 (range, 1-64) at AHG phase. TPE complications were minimal. During at least one procedure, 15 (32.6%) individuals had either urticaria or pruritis, 18 (39.1%) individuals experienced mild citrate-induced hypocalcemia, 5 (10.2%) individuals had hypotension, 6 (13.0%) individuals had nausea or vomiting, and 1 (2.2%) individual had West Nile virus encephalitis. CONCLUSIONS: With current infectious disease blood screening protocols, TPE has minimal complications and can reduce ABO antibody titers to permit ABO-I renal transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Thousands of patients with chronic renal failure die yearly and are unable to have a kidney transplant due to the severe shortage of donors. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is performed to remove ABO antibodies and permit ABO-incompatible (ABO-I) kidney transplants, but there is only limited research within this area and a lack of standardized protocols for TPE. This article reviews the literature to provide a historical perspective of TPE for ABO-I kidney transplantation and also provides the Johns Hopkins Hospital protocol with a focus on both titers and TPE. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The TPE treatment plan is based on ABO titers with the goal of a titer of 16 or less at the anti-human globulin (AHG) phase before surgery. Pretransplant therapy consists of every-other-day TPE followed immediately by cytomegalovirus hyperimmune globulin. ABO antibody titers are closely monitored before and after transplantation. After transplantation, TPE therapy is performed for all patients to prevent rebound of anti-A and anti-B titers until tolerance or accommodation occurs. TPE is discontinued and reinstituted based on the clinical criteria of creatinine levels, biopsy results, and ABO titer. RESULTS: Fifty-three ABO-I kidney transplants have been completed with no episodes of hyperacute antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) and only three episodes of AMR. One-year death-censored graft survival is 100 percent and patient survival is 97.6 percent. CONCLUSIONS: While randomized clinical trials are needed to evaluate the optimal method and protocol to remove ABO antibodies, the current literature and our results indicate a critical role for TPE in ABO-I renal transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Antibody titration is difficult to standardize. We investigated whether a detailed, uniform procedure for antibody titration would reduce variation in both tube-based and gel card titres in an international study. Methods Laboratories ( n = 35) tested proficiency testing material provided by the College of American Pathologists each according to (i) their routine method; (ii) a detailed, uniform method; and (iii) the uniform method titrating the serum sample against a red cell of specified phenotype (D+ C– c+ E+ e– for anti-D; A1 for anti-A) instead of the red cell of the same phenotype provided in the proficiency testing kit. Uniform method results were reported with 1+ and w+ end-points. Paired statistical analyses of variance were conducted using the F-test. Results The variance between laboratories was not significantly reduced with the uniform method using a 1+ end-point. However, a statistically significant reduction in the variance of anti-D and anti-A titres by the tube-based uniform technique after 37°C incubation and conversion to the antiglobulin (AHG) phase was seen when 19 laboratories reanalysed their results using a w+ end-point. Too few laboratories reported results with a w+ end-point in gel card testing to allow analysis. Titration against red cells of the specified phenotype provided by the participating laboratory did not appear to introduce additional variance. Overall, results reported based on the gel card technique at the AHG phase (1+ end-point) showed reduced variance compared to tube-based techniques. Conclusions A detailed, uniform method for antibody titration at 37°C and read at the AHG phase in a tube-based method with a w+ end-point reduced interlaboratory variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: A murine model would be useful to identify which immune mechanisms could be manipulated to treat or prevent red blood cell (RBC) alloimmunization in patients who become sensitized to multiple or widely expressed antigens. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Transgenic mice (B6CBAF1/J-Tg-Fyb) expressing the human Fyb antigen of the Duffy (Fy) blood group were donors. Recipient B6CBA-F1 mice received four weekly intravenous (IV) transfusions: either 0.3 mL of washed buffy coat–depleted RBCs or 0.3 mL of RBCs with spleen cells. Titers of immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) were measured in recipient serum samples by flow cytometry with RBCs from donor mice as target cells. Recipient serum samples were also tested against human RBCs of various Fy phenotypes. Additionally, RBC survival studies were performed in alloimmunized mice utilizing biotin-labeled Fyb transgenic mouse RBCs. RESULTS: B6CBA-F1 mice receiving washed buffy coat–depleted RBCs first made IgM, followed by IgG alloantibodies to transgenic mouse Fyb-positive RBCs. Recipients of Fyb-positive RBCs mixed with spleen cells also produced IgM and IgG alloantibodies, but at a slower rate than recipients of washed buffy coat–depleted RBCs. Serum samples showed specificity for Fy3, Fyb, and Fy6. Decreased survival of transfused RBCs was evident at 24 hours after transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to elicit the formation of anti-Fy alloantibodies by IV transfusion in mice that lack Fy antigens. The transfusion of RBCs alone was adequate to stimulate alloantibody production in B6CBA-F1 recipient mice. The survival of transfused Fyb-positive RBCs is diminished in sensitized mice. This model will be useful in further studies of RBC alloimmunization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information regarding the two aspects of red cell transfusions and blood groups. Discussion of the dilemmas in selecting red blood cell (RBC) for such patients when they are in need of RBC transfusion; Ways in avoiding alloimmunization; Percentage of patients with thalassaemia who had become alloimmunized after multiple RBC transfusions.

Describes the case of a nine-year-old Crohn's disease patient suffering from life-threatening ceftriaxone-induced immune hemolytic anemia. Presenting signs and symptoms; Past medical history; Diagnosis; Treatment; Outcome.

Background: Febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTR) is a relatively common complication associated with allogeneic transfusion. Because WBCs have been implicated in the mechanism of FNHTRs, it has been proposed that the transfusion of leukoreduced RBCs should be associated with a decreased incidence of FNHTRs. These reactions are generally not life threatening, but they are expensive in their management, evaluation, and associated blood-product wastage. Over the past several years, the proportion of leukoreduced RBCs has increased at Johns Hopkins Hospital in an effort to move toward complete leuko-reduction. A retrospective analysis is reported here of FNHTRs in RBC recipients as the inventory increased in percentage of leukoreduced RBC units.Study Design and Methods: Between July 1994 and December 2001, all transfusion reactions (TRs) associated with the transfusion of allogeneic RBCs were retrospectively analyzed. Both computerized data and individual TR reports were reviewed. Patients who had both allergic and febrile features were included as part of both categories. TRs were reported as a percentage of total units transfused. Two time periods were selected for direct comparison. July to December 1994 represents the time period before the initiation of an increase in leuko-reduction. July to December 2001 represents a time period when almost complete leukoreduction (99.5%) had been achieved. The TR data were compared between these two time periods, comparing a time before leuko-reduction to a time period after leukoreduction had been achieved. The trends in TRs over the entire 7.5-year period of July 1994 to December 2001 were also assessed.Results: In the initial period before the initiative to move toward leukoreduction, 96 percent of our RBC inventory was non-leukoreduced. In the study period after leukoreduction, 99.5 percent of our RBC inventory was leukoreduced. When comparing these two time periods, the incidence of FNHTRs decreased from 0.37 percent to 0.19 percent (p = 0.0008). The trend over the entire 7.5-year study period confirms the decrease in FNHTRs as the percentage of leukoreduced RBCs increased. The incidence of allergic TRs has remained unchanged over this time period.Conclusions: As our institution has increased its inventory of leukoreduced RBCs to approximately 100 percent, selective leukoreduced protocols have been discontinued. The incidence of FNHTRs has decreased significantly and the rate of allergic reactions has essentially remained unchanged. Leukoreduction is effective in decreasing FNHTRs associated with the transfusion of allogeneic RBCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the feasibilityof the provision of prophylactic antigen-matched donor blood for patients with war autoantibodes. Factors influencing the increase of the alloimmunization rate; Cause of an acute or delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction; Identification of the underlying alloantibody specificities; Removal of autoantibody activity by adsorption with autologous red blood cells.

BACKGROUND: Multiply transfused patients are at increased risk of developing red cell (RBC) antibodies, as well as antibodies to HLA. Although pretransfusion testing screens for RBC antibodies, no such testing is routinely performed for HLA antibodies. Determining which patients are more likely to make HLA antibodies may be important for patients undergoing elective surgery where platelets (PLTs) may be required. It is hypothesized that patients with RBC alloantibodies may be more likely to have HLA antibodies than previously transfused patients without RBC antibodies. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Blood was collected from 53 adult male surgical patients with RBC alloantibodies and a control group of 69 similar male patients with a history of previous transfusions but no evidence of RBC alloimmunization. The samples were tested for the presence of immunoglobulin G Class I HLA antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Of the 53 samples from patients with RBC alloantibodies, 12 (22.6%) also had HLA antibodies, whereas only 7 (10.1%) of the 69 patients in the control group had HLA antibodies (p < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant difference between the rates of HLA alloimmunization in male patients with RBC antibodies versus multiply transfused patients without RBC antibodies. Screening for HLA antibodies may be warranted in patients with RBC alloantibodies who might require PLT transfusion support for elective surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A list of the editors and editorial board members of the journal "Transfusion" is presented, along with the issue's table of contents.

A response from the author the article "Cost-effectiveness of Prospective Red Blood Cell Antigen Matching to Prevent Alloimmunization Among Sickle Cell Patients" published in a 2014 issue is presented.

A list of the journal's editor is presented including Paul N. Ness, Jonathan H. Waters and Richard Kaufman.

The article lists the reviewers for "Transfusion" which include Thomas Abshire, Jason Acker, and Douglas Adkins.

A list of reviewers for 2005-2006 issues of this periodical is presented.

The article mentions people who serve as reviewers for the 2004-2005 issue of the journal "Transfusion."

Lists the names of authors who reviewed articles published in 2003 to 2004 issues of the periodical "Transfusion." Jason P. Acker; Paul Mintz; Marilyn Telen; Gay Wehrli; Lynne Uhl; Mary Young; David Lee; Sandra Nance; John Hess.

Background.--Antibody titration is difficult to standardize. We investigated whether a detailed, uniform procedure for antibody titration would reduce variation in both tube-based and gel card titres in an international study. Methods.--Laboratories (n = 35) tested proficiency testing material provided by the College of American Pathologists each according to (i) their routine method; (ii) a detailed, uniform method; and (iii) the uniform method titrating the serum sample against a red cell of specified phenotype (D+ C- c+ E+ e- for anti-D; A1 for anti-A) instead of the red cell of the same phenotype provided in the proficiency testing kit. Uniform method results were reported with 1+ and w+ end-points. Paired statistical analyses of variance were conducted using the F-test. Results.--The variance between laboratories was not significantly reduced with the uniform method using a 1 + end-point. However, a statistically significant reduction in the variance of anti-D and anti-A titres by the tube-based uniform technique after 37[degrees]C incubation and conversion to the antiglobulin (AHG) phase was seen when 19 laboratories reanalysed their results using a w+ end-point. Too few laboratories reported results with a w+ end-point in gel card testing to allow analysis. Titration against red cells of the specified phenotype provided by the participating laboratory did not appear to introduce additional variance. Overall, results reported based on the gel card technique at the AHG phase (1 + end-point) showed reduced variance compared to tube-based techniques. Conclusions.--A detailed, uniform method for antibody titration at 37[degrees]C and read at the AHG phase in a tube-based method with a w+ end-point reduced interlaboratory variability., Standardization of laboratory analyses has long been regarded as critical for ensuring portability of results and for broad application of guidelines. The methods of both qualitative tests, for example, antibody [...]