EVALUATION OF RECENT TECHNIQUES FOR DETECTION OF RED-BLOOD-CELL ANTIBODIES IN SERA OF REFERENCE SAMPLES, PATIENTS, PREGNANT-WOMEN, AND BLOOD-DONORS

The sensitivity of the low ionic strength solution antiglobulin test ( LISS-AGT), polyethylene glycol antiglobulin test (PEG-AGT), low ionic strength solution solid-phase antiglobulin test (LISS-SPAT), gel low i onic strength solution antiglobulin test (GEL-LISS), and gel papain Bs t (GEL-PAP) was compared in titration studies of 460 sera containing i dentified IgG alloantibodies. The GEL-PAP was 100% sensitive to detect Rh antibodies, whereas the PEG-AGT was the most sensitive to detect K ell, Duffy, Kidd, Ss, and rare blood group antibodies. The better perf ormance of PEG-AGT was especially obvious with Kell, Duffy, and Ss ant ibodies (S = 100%). When the sensitivity of the LISS-AGT, PEG-AGT, GEL -LISS, and GEL-PAP was evaluated in different routines, the GEL-LISS s howed to be more sensitive than PEG-AGT in the detection of clinically significant antibodies. These discrepant results showed that the perf ormance of a technique may change when it is applied as a routine. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.