Publications

Alloantibodies to human platelet specific antigen and leucocyte antigen class 1 were evaluated in haemato-oncologymultitransfused patients. Study subjects were 120 multi-transfused patients (96 males and 24 females) within the agebracket of 18 and 65 years who were on admission at Federal Medical Centre Owerri. Sixty apparently healthyindividuals (40 males and 20 females) who have never received blood transfusion in life within the same age bracketwere recruited as control subjects. Ethical approval was obtained from the ethical committee of Federal MedicalCentre Owerri and the consent of the subjects were obtained. Valuable information were obtained byquestionnaires.ELISA method (using monoclonal antibody immobilization of platelet antigen kit) was adopted forantibody determination. Data obtained were analysed with IBM SPSS. Chi-square test, student’s t-testand fisher’sanalysis of variance were used to compute the relationship between variables. Statistical significance was set at aconfidence limit of 95%. Results revealed that out of 120 multitransfused subjects tested, 107(89.17%) werealloimmunized, 13(10.83%) were not immunized. Those immunized against human platelet specific antigens andleucocyte antigens class 1 were 75(70%) and 4(3.78%) respectively. Those immunized against both human plateletspecific antigens and leucocyte antigens were 28(26.1%). The prevalence of platelet specific glycoprotein antigensand leucocyte antigens were obtained as follows: Gp 11b/111a 97(80.83%), Gp1a/11a 46(38.33%), HLA class 132(26.67%), and 1b/ix 20(16.67%)Result indicates high frequency of alloimmunization against human platelet specific antigens with alloantibodiesagainst glycoprotein 11b/111a (HPA-1a,3a,4a) having the highest frequency in multitransfused subjects. Frequency ofalloimmunization did not increase with the number of units of blood transfused. Finding will help ensure safety oftransfusion therapy in other to avoid clinical conditions like Platelet refractoriness and post transfusion purpura.