Biomaterial Database

Serum volumes should not be reduced when testing neonates for unexpected red cell antibodies. 1990

D G Cordle, and R G Strauss, and T A Koerner

Department of Pathology, Elmer L. DeGowin Memorial Blood Center, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City 52242.

Serum-to-red cell ratio (volume:volume) significantly affects the sensitivity of antibody detection. Obtaining sufficient serum quantity can be a problem when testing blood from transported neonates not accompanied by maternal samples. Reducing serum volumes used for testing might result in missed antibodies. The authors studied 1,177 sera for unexpected red cell antibodies by comparing one versus two drops of patient serum using a technique with LISS at 37 degrees C through the antiglobulin phase. The serum-to-red cell ratio using two drops was approximately 50: 1. Results of 60% (58/96) of samples containing antibody benefited by the use of increased serum. Eighteen percent; (17/96) had antibodies detected only with two drops that were missed entirely by one, and 43% (41/96) showed stronger positive reactions using two drops versus one. Importantly, antibodies detected only with or enhanced by two drops were clinically significant (anti-D, anti-K, anti-M, anti-c, anti-E). Thus, reducing serum-to-cell ratio is potentially dangerous, and blood banks should insist on adequate sample size to ensure patient safety.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007518	Isoantibodies	Antibodies from an individual that react with ISOANTIGENS of another individual of the same species.	Alloantibodies
D012016	Reference Values	The range or frequency distribution of a measurement in a population (of organisms, organs or things) that has not been selected for the presence of disease or abnormality.	Normal Range,Normal Values,Reference Ranges,Normal Ranges,Normal Value,Range, Normal,Range, Reference,Ranges, Normal,Ranges, Reference,Reference Range,Reference Value,Value, Normal,Value, Reference,Values, Normal,Values, Reference
D001769	Blood	The body fluid that circulates in the vascular system (BLOOD VESSELS). Whole blood includes PLASMA and BLOOD CELLS.
D001789	Blood Group Antigens	Sets of cell surface antigens located on BLOOD CELLS. They are usually membrane GLYCOPROTEINS or GLYCOLIPIDS that are antigenically distinguished by their carbohydrate moieties.	Blood Group,Blood Group Antigen,Blood Groups,Antigen, Blood Group,Antigens, Blood Group,Group Antigen, Blood,Group, Blood,Groups, Blood
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012307	Risk Factors	An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent.	Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor