Establishment of an immunoglobulin A-deficient blood donor registry with a simple in-house screening enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

• Published in: Transfusion (Philadelphia, Pa.) Vol. 46; no. 12; pp. 2115 - 2121
• Main Authors: Thibault, Louis, Beauséjour, Annie, De Grandmont, Marie Joëlle, Long, Anne, Goldman, Mindy, Chevrier, Marie-Claire
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.12.2006; Blackwell Publishing
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Blood coagulation; Blood Donors; Blood. Blood and plasma substitutes. Blood products. Blood cells. Blood typing. Plasmapheresis. Apheresis; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Human viral diseases; Humans; IgA Deficiency - blood; Infectious diseases; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Registries; Transfusions. Complications. Transfusion reactions. Cell and gene therapy; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis; Immunoglobulins; Transfusion; Medical screening; Blood donor
• ISSN: 0041-1132; 1537-2995
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2006.01037.x

BACKGROUND: Transfusion of blood products to immunoglobulin A (IgA)–deficient patients who have developed IgA antibodies can result in serious adverse reactions. To prepare compatible blood components for these patients, blood centers usually maintain a list of IgA‐deficient blood donors. An in‐house enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to identify new IgA‐deficient blood donors. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: An in‐house ELISA was used to screen blood samples. IgA‐deficient samples, defined as an IgA level below 0.05 mg per dL, were sent to the American Red Cross for confirmatory testing. RESULTS: Seventy‐three confirmed IgA‐deficient blood donors were identified among 38,759 screened blood donor samples (frequency, 1:531). IgA antibodies were found in 39 of these 73 blood donors (53%), although only 9 donors had a history of adult IgA exposure (transfusion or pregnancy). CONCLUSIONS: With a simple in‐house ELISA, 73 blood donors were identified as IgA‐deficient. From this number, 34 donors, without detectable anti‐IgA in their plasma, were added to our IgA‐deficient blood donor panel to maximize the management of our inventory of IgA‐deficient frozen blood components.