2019 Volume 65 Issue 1 Pages 98-102
Background: Detection of coexisting alloantibodies is important because patients with autoantibodies often also have alloantibodies. The polyethylene glycol (PEG) adsorption method is a commonly used autoantibody adsorption method. However, the PEG adsorption method reportedly also adsorbs low titers of alloantibodies. While there are reports that an autoantibody adsorption method that uses low ionic strength solution (LISS) is a quick and useful autoantibody adsorption method, this method is not commonly used in Japan. We report 3 cases for which the LISS adsorption method was useful for autoantibody adsorption and detection of coexisting alloantibodies.
Patients and Methods: We used the LISS adsorption method for autoantibody adsorption in 3 patients with autoantibodies. Autoantibodies of one patient who had not received a transfusion within the previous 3 months were adsorbed using autologous red blood cells (RBCs), while those of the remaining two patients who received a transfusion within the previous 3 months were adsorbed using Rh-, Kidd- and Diego-matched enzyme-treated allogeneic RBCs.
Results: Low-titer alloantibodies were detected in all 3 cases using the LISS adsorption method.
Conclusion: The detection of low-titer alloantibodies using the LISS adsorption method suggests efficient adsorption of autoantibodies. Therefore, the LISS adsorption method is useful for detecting coexisting alloantibodies in patients with autoantibodies.
