Red blood cell alloimmunization among Egyptian patients with transfusion dependant Ý thalassemia / Alshymaa Ahmed Fouad Salama Kinawy ; Supervised Mohamed Roshdy Elmasry , Amal Mohamed Ibrahim Elbeshlawy , Asmaa Mohammad Abdelhameed

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Internal Medicine

Introduction: Beta thalassemia is one of the most commonly inherited genetic disorders and it poses public health problem in Egypt. Though blood transfusion is the primary option to manage beta thalassemia, it may be associated with occurrence of red cell allo- and autoimmunization. Aims. To assess the incidence of RBC alloimmunization and autoimmunization in transfusion dependent Ý thalassemic patients in Egypt and predict the possible risk factors for its development. Patients and Methods. Total 200 regularly transfused Ý thalassemia patients were evaluated. Available medical charts were reviewed for gender, age and medical and transfusion history. The antibody screening and identification were performed with commercially available panel cells using gel based method. To detect autoantibodies, autocontrol and direct antiglobulin tests were carried out using polyspecific coombs (IgG + C3d) gel cards in all patients. Results. A total of 36 patients had RBC alloimmunization (18%) and 33 patients had autoantibodies (16.5%). anti-Kell was the most frequent alloantibody representing (14.5%), followed by, Rh-related alloantibodies (10%) comprising [anti-E (3.5%), anti-C (1%), anti-Cw (5.5%)]

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