DETECTION OF ANTI-FY(A), ANTI-S AND ANTI-JK(A) IN RELATION TO THE GENOTYPES OF THE PANEL RED-CELLS - REPORT OF A UK NEQAS SURVEY

Three antibody-containing samples (anti-Fy(a), anti-S and anti-Jk(a)), each at two dilutions, were distributed to U.K. hospitals and transfu sion centres together with an antibody screening panel comprising red cells homozygous for the corresponding antigens. Participants in the s tudy subjected the samples to their routine antibody screening procedu res using both their own antibody screening panels and the screening p anel provided. A within-group comparison of those participants using t heir own screening panels having a heterozygous expression of the anti gens, with the same participants when using the screening panel provid ed, showed for five of the samples a greater detection rate in routine antibody screening procedures when using the panel provided, having h omozygous expression of the corresponding antigens. The sixth sample, the most potent, was detected equally using both panels. The differenc e in overall detection rate is statistically significant (chi-square t est, 2P<0.001). The study shows that the use of red cells presumptivel y homozygous for Fy(a), S and Jk(a) improved the detection of the corr esponding antibodies.