PREVENTION OF PLATELET REFRACTORINESS DUE TO HLA ANTIBODIES BY ADMINISTRATION OF LEUKOCYTE-POOR BLOOD COMPONENTS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 9  (1) , 77-83
Abstract
Some 28 patients with bone marrow depression due to aplastic anemia or cytostatic treatment were transfused with packed cells and platelet concentrates, both containing 10-20% of the amount of leukocytes present in whole blood. Of these patients, 26 (93%) became refractory to random platelets. Some 68 patients were given red cells filtered through cotton-wool, a procedure which removes over 97% of the leukocytes, and leukocyte-poor platelet suspensions obtained by an additional centrifugation step. Of this latter group, 16 patients (24%) became refractory. Some 52 recipients were non-refractory to random platelet transfusions after an exposure time of at least 6 wk and maximally 32 wk. Platelets may be less immunogenic than leukocytes, or not immunogenic at all with regard to induction of HLA antibodies, and immunization occurrence may be purely the result of leukocyte contamination in red cell and platelet preparations.