Lecture 13 (Mtap Notes)
Lecture 13 (Mtap Notes)
Lecture 13 (Mtap Notes)
IMMUNOHEMATOLOGY
LECTURE 13: MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS
Polyagglutinable cells are naturally occurring and react best at lower temperature via direct
agglutination
IMMUNE HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA (IHA)
Shortened red cell survival mediated by humoral antibody
Immune hemolysis represents the result of an acquired abormality of the red blood cell
membrane associated with demonstrable antibodies
Categories
Alloimmune HA
Autoimmune HA
Drug-induced HA
IMMUNE HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA (IHA)
Shortened red cell survival mediated by humoral antibody
Immune hemolysis represents the result of an acquired abormality of the red blood cell
membrane associated with demonstrable antibodies
Categories
Alloimmune HA
Autoimmune HA
Drug-induced HA
IMMUNE HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA (IHA)
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA)
Patients produce antibodies against their own red cell antigens
AIHA may be classified as:
Cold reacting (18%)
Warm reacting (70%)
Drug-induced (12%)
Diagnostic tests include:
DAT
Characterization of the autoantibody in the serum and/or eluate
Common specificity in both benign and pathologic cold auto agglutinins is anti-I
IMMUNE HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA (IHA)
Pathologic Cold Agglutinins
Cold hemagglutinin disease or Idiopathic cold AIHA
DAT is positive because of the complement coating of the red cells
The antibody titer is greater than 1000
Paroxysmal Cold Hemoglobinuria
Classic antibody produced is Donath-Landsteiner antibody and has the specificity
of auto-anti-P
This antibody binds to patient’s red cells at low temperature and fixes complement
Hemolysis occurs when coated cells are warmed at 37oC and complement-
mediated intravascular lysis occurs
IMMUNE HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA (IHA)
Warm Reactive autoantibodies
Associated with:
Reticuloendothelial neoplasm (such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia)
Collagen disease such as SLE
Infectious disease such as viral syndromes
Immunologic disease such as hypogammaglobulinemia
IMMUNE HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA (IHA)
Alloimmune Hemolytic anemia
Patients produce antibodies to foreign red cell antigens introduced into their
circulation, most often through transfusion or pregnancy
Drug-induced Hemolytic anemia
Aldomer or alpha-methyldopa induces production of an autoantibody that
recognizes RBC antigens
ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND AUTOMATION
IN BLOOD BANKS
Alternative technologies/automation:
Gel test
Solid phase assay
Affinity column testing
Major advantages
Standardization
There is no tube shaking or resuspension of RBC button to cause subjectivity in the
interpretation of the test
Stability
There are well-defined endpoints of the reaction
Decreased sample volume needed for testing
Enhanced sensitivity and specificity
ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND AUTOMATION
IN BLOOD BANKS
Gel test
Principle is hemagglutination
RBCs and serum/plasma are allowed to incubate together in a reaction chamber
Following incubation, controlled centrifugation drives the RBCs through a specially designed
microtube filled with beads of dextran-acrylamide gel
Agglutinated cells remain at the top of the tube or are trapped in the gel, depending on the size of the
agglutinates
Unagglutinated cells move through the gel to the bottom of the tube
Reactions are stable for observation or review for 2-3 days
Gel technology is currently approved for ABO forward and reverse grouping, Rh typing, DAT, antibody
screening, antibody identification, and compatibility testing
Major disadvantage is the need to purchase special equipment: a centrifuge to accommodate the
microtube cards used for testing and a pipettor and pipettes for dispensing plasma or serum and RBC
suspension into the reaction chambers of the microtubes
ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND AUTOMATION
IN BLOOD BANKS
ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND AUTOMATION
IN BLOOD BANKS
Solid phase assay
Stable for observation or review for 2 days
Currently approved for antibody screening, antibody identification, and compatibility testing
Advantages include ease of use because of no predilution of reagents is required and the ability to test
hemolyzed, lipemic, or icteric samples. Enhanced sensitivity increases the detection of weak
alloantibodies
Major disadvantage is the need to purchase special equipment: a centrifuge that can spin microplates,
a 37oC incubator for microplates, and a light source for reading final results
Based on solid-phase red cell adherence (SPRCA)
The target antigen (RBCs) is affixed to the bottom of the microplate wells
If patient plasma contains antibodies to the antigen, the antibodies attach to the fixed antigen.
Indicator cells detect attached antibodies by forming a monolayer of RBCs
If patient plasma contains no antibodies to the antigen, there is no attachment, and the indicator cells
form a clearly delineated button at the center of the microplate well
ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND AUTOMATION
IN BLOOD BANKS
ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND AUTOMATION IN BLOOD BANKS
COMPARISON OF TRADITIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE METHODS
ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND AUTOMATION IN BLOOD BANKS
COMPARISON OF TRADITIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE METHODS
ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND AUTOMATION
IN BLOOD BANKS
Affinity column testing - Red Cell affinity-column
Based on the principle of affinity adherence of Ig sensitized erythrocytes to an
immunologically active matrix
Major advantage include pre-filled strips, no washing after incubation, ease of use,
stable and reproducible results, less than 3 minutes of centrifuge time, and clear
differentiation between positive and negative results
Major disadvantage is the need to purchase a special centrifuge and incubation to
accommodate the microcolumn strips used for testing