Minimising Transfusion Therapy and Alloimmunisation in Patients with Sickle Cell Disorder in the Era of Hydroxyurea

In the UK, 700 patients with sickle cell disease are on a transfusion programme1. Red blood cell (RBC) AI occurs in 4.4-76%2of regularly transfused sickle patients. Contributing factors include repeated transfusions and ethnic differences between sickle cell patients and their donors. This results in higher rates of mismatch in phenotyped and genotyped blood. There is a continued lack of availability of blood products from more compatible ethnic donors.