ASSESSMENT OF SEVERITY OF HEMOLYTIC-DISEASE OF NEWBORN BY MONOCYTE MONOLAYER ASSAY

The present study was undertaken to estimate the predictive value of a ntibody titration, antibody quantitation and monocyte monolayer assay (MMA) in assessment of severity of haemolytic disease of the newborn ( HDN). Serum samples from 45 alloimmunized mothers, with anti-D(23), an ti-c(10), anti-K(6), anti-E(5) and anti-e(1) were taken for the study. The results obtained were compared and the efficiency of each techniq ue in predicting the severity of HDN was assessed. Antibody quantitati on and MMA (phagocytic index) correlated well with severity of HDN in mothers with anti-D antibodies. Antibody quantitation (anti-D) had a p ositive predictive value of 54.5 per cent and negative predictive valu e of 85.7 per cent while MMA had a positive predictive value of 75 per cent and a negative predictive value of 100 per cent, These findings suggest MMA to be a good negative predictor of HDN but not a good posi tive predictor of haemolytic disease of the newborn.