REPORT ON THE 1997 INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLOOD-TRANSFUSION WORKSHOP FOR GENOTYPING OF PLATELET ALLOANTIGENS

The results from the 1997 International human platelet antigen- (HPA-) genotyping workshop are reported. Seventeen institutions participated to genotype for HPA polymorphisms of seven DNA samples. Most investig ators used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) - restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and PCR-sequence specific priming (SSP). A few participants applied both methods to confirm their results. All pa rticipants reported results for HPA-1, -2, -3 and -5 allotyping, while HPA-4 was determined in 12 and HPA-6 in nine laboratories, respective ly. For HPA-1 to -6 there were 19 deviations from the consensus result . These deviations were not associated with any particular technique o r allotype. Most frequently, however, deviation were reported for HPA- 5 typing. These results were discussed at a meeting at the Joint Congr ess of the ISBT and the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Transfusionsmedizin und Immunhamatologie in Frankfurt, Germany, in September 1997. Based o n the results and the comments, further workshops for HPA-allotyping a re mandatory for quality assurance.