Differentiation of autologous ABO, RHD, RHCE, KEL, JK, and FY blood group genotypes by analysis of peripheral blood samples of patients who have recently received multiple transfusions

BACKGROUND: After multiple transfusions, the serologic typing of autologous blood group phenotypes is difficult, because of mixed RBC populations. The genotyping of ABO, Rh, Kelt, Kidd, and Duffy systems could be used to dete rmine autologous blood group antigen status. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Blood samples from patients and donors were analy zed before and after 26 multiple-transfusion events. An average of 6.9 non- WBC-reduced RBC units with an average age of 5.9 days were administered per transfusion event. The average period of blood sampling after transfusions was 5.3 days. All samples were serologically phenotyped for ABO, Rh, Kelt, Kidd, and Duffy Pretransfusion, posttransfusion, and buccal samples from p atients were genotyped for the corresponding alleles by a uniform PCR seque nce-specific primer protocol that allowed their simultaneous determination within 3 hours. RESULTS: All posttransfusion samples exhibited mixed-cell populations of va rious blood group systems on serologic testing. Genotyping from peripheral blood produced results identical to the autologous blood group phenotypes, regardless of the amount of blood transfused or of the length of the sampli ng period after transfusion. CONCLUSION: A fast and reliable PCR-sequence-specific primer DNA genotyping assay for simultaneous determination of autologous ABO, Rh, Kell, Kidd, an d Duffy blood groups can be performed on peripheral blood samples, even tho ugh the patients have recently received multiple transfusions.