Prevalence and risk factors for red blood cell alloimmunisation among sickle cell patients in Mwanza City, Tanzania
Background: Erythrocyte alloimmunisation can lead to complications such as delayed haemolytic transfusion reaction. Objective: This study investigated the prevalence of and risk factors for red blood cell alloimmunisation among multiply transfused sickle cell disease (SCD) patients in Mwanza City,...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2020-09-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Laboratory Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/823 |
| Summary: | Background: Erythrocyte alloimmunisation can lead to complications such as delayed haemolytic transfusion reaction.
Objective: This study investigated the prevalence of and risk factors for red blood cell alloimmunisation among multiply transfused sickle cell disease (SCD) patients in Mwanza City, Tanzania.
Methods: From May 2017 to July 2017, this descriptive, cross-sectional, hospital-based study enrolled 200 participants with SCD who had received at least two units of blood in the previous year. Blood count was performed using a Sysmex haematology analyser. Antibody screening was done by the tube method using a panel of three screening cells with known antigenicity.
Results: Of the 200 patients enrolled, 108 (54%) were female. The median age was 4.5 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 6), the median number of transfusions was 3 (IQR = 1), and the median pre-transfusion haemoglobin level was 6.6 g/dl (IQR = 2.7). Prevalence of alloimmunisation was 8.5% (17/200) with immunoglobulin G, and one patient developed cold immunoglobulin M antibodies. Blood groups reported were Rhesus C and E, Kell, Kidd and Duffy. There was no statistically significant association between the number of transfusions and the risk of alloimmunisation.
Conclusion: The rate of alloimmunisation in multiply transfused SCD patients was 8.5% and higher than other studies in East Africa. Thus, there is a need for extensive red blood cell screening and matching to minimize alloimmunisation and risk of delayed haemolytic transfusion reaction, particularly in SCD and chronically transfused patients. |
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| ISSN: | 2225-2002 2225-2010 |