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Low rate of Rhesus immunization from Rh-incompatible blood transfusions during liver and heart transplant surgery.

Authors :
Ramsey G
Hahn LF
Cornell FW
Boczkowski DJ
Staschak S
Clark R
Hardesty RL
Griffith BP
Starzl TE
Source :
Transplantation [Transplantation] 1989 Jun; Vol. 47 (6), pp. 993-5.
Publication Year :
1989

Abstract

Transfusion of one unit or more of Rh-positive red blood cells normally causes circulating anti-D antibody to appear 2-6 months later in 80-95% of Rh- persons. We asked whether transplant immunosuppression with cyclosporine and corticosteroids affects Rh immunization. Nineteen Rh- liver, heart, and heart-lung transplant recipients received 3-153 (median: 10) units of Rh+ RBCs at surgery and were tested for anti-D greater than 2 months later. Three patients developed anti-D at 11-15 days; one may have had an unusually rapid primary immune response and two were secondary to previous exposure by pregnancy. None of the other 16 patients had anti-D when tested 2.5-51 months later (13 patients, greater than 11.5 months). This low rate of Rhesus immunization in association with cyclosporine immunosuppression allows greater flexibility in meeting the transfusion needs of Rh- liver and heart transplant patients. Caution is still advised in young females and in patients who may have been previously exposed to Rh+ RBCs by transfusion or by pregnancy prior to the availability of perinatal Rh immune globulin twenty years ago. Other humoral immune responses to some vaccines or infectious agents may also be impaired in transplant patients.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0041-1337
Volume :
47
Issue :
6
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Transplantation
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
2499963
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1097/00007890-198906000-00015