Comparison of methods used to identify compatible platelet units for alloimmunized patients
| . | Crossmatched . | HLA matched . | HLA compatible . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Test patient’s serum against a panel of platelets to determine compatibility | Identify platelet donors with perfect (4/4) match for patient’s HLA class IA and IB alleles | ASP: Use antibody specificities to select donor units that lack corresponding antigens |
| Pros | • Rapid turnaround-time | • 4/4 match ensures HLA compatibility | • Larger donor pool |
| • Obtain compatible units without HLA genotype or HLA antibody testing | • Reduced risk of future alloimmunization | • Reduced risk of future alloimmunization | |
| • Compatible with HLA and HPA antibodies | |||
| Cons | • Difficult to find compatible units for highly alloimmunized patients | • HLA genotyping required | • Not useful for HPA antibodies |
| • Risk of alloimmunization for mismatched HLA antigens | • Limited donor pool for some patients | • HLA antibody testing required |
| . | Crossmatched . | HLA matched . | HLA compatible . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Test patient’s serum against a panel of platelets to determine compatibility | Identify platelet donors with perfect (4/4) match for patient’s HLA class IA and IB alleles | ASP: Use antibody specificities to select donor units that lack corresponding antigens |
| Pros | • Rapid turnaround-time | • 4/4 match ensures HLA compatibility | • Larger donor pool |
| • Obtain compatible units without HLA genotype or HLA antibody testing | • Reduced risk of future alloimmunization | • Reduced risk of future alloimmunization | |
| • Compatible with HLA and HPA antibodies | |||
| Cons | • Difficult to find compatible units for highly alloimmunized patients | • HLA genotyping required | • Not useful for HPA antibodies |
| • Risk of alloimmunization for mismatched HLA antigens | • Limited donor pool for some patients | • HLA antibody testing required |
Table adapted from Forest and Hod.1
ASP, antibody specificity prediction.