RED-BLOOD-CELL ALLOIMMUNIZATION IN SICKLE-CELL DISEASE IN EASTERN PROVINCE, SAUDI-ARABIA

The study presents the results of tests carried out to detect alloimmu nisation against red blood cells in 111 patients (47 males and 64 fema les), transfused and followed up during the period April 1994 to April 1997 in Damman Central Hospital and Qatif Central Hospital, Saudi Ara bia. All of the patients had sickle cell disease and came from one reg ion and one racial group. The rate of alloimmunisation was 34.2%. 14.4 % of the alloimmunised patients had formed only one alloantibody, and 9% of alloimmunised patients only two alloantibodies, 6.3% three alloa ntibodies, 2.7% four alloantibodies, and 1.8% five or more alloantibod ies. This observed red blood cell alloimmunisation rate in sickle cell disease patients in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, indicated a requi rement for extended antigen-matched red blood cell transfusion for sic kle cell disease patients in the setting of a red blood cell phenotype .