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Transplant Technology

Apheresis product identification in the transplant center: development of point-of-care protocols for extended blood typing of stem cell apheresis products

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 47, pages 860–865 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Transfusion of the ‘wrong’ stem cell product would almost inevitably be lethal, yet assays to confirm the contents of the product bag, except by checking labels and paperwork, are lacking. To increase the likelihood that a product mix-up would be detected in the transplant center, we developed a simple protocol for extended blood typing and hence, for confirmation of donor/product identity, on a tube segment. Apheresis samples were applied, directly or after erythrocyte enrichment, to commercially available blood typing assays, including lateral flow cards and gel agglutination cards. Without sample modification, low hematocrit and high leukocyte count obviated definitive blood typing. Using the most simple erythrocyte enrichment protocol, that is, centrifugation, reliable blood group analysis became possible with either assay. Other, more cumbersome pre-analytical protocols were also successful but provided no advantage. The preferred method was validated on 100 samples; ABD was correctly identified in 100% of cases. Of the other Rh Ags, all except two ‘small e’, in both cases in heterozygous individuals, were detected; there were no false positives. A simple, inexpensive point-of-care assay for extended blood typing of apheresis products is available, which can reduce the fatal risk of administering the wrong stem cell product.

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Acknowledgements

The training provided to CC by technicians from the Immunohematology laboratory is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. German Red Cross Blood Center and Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology of the Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany

    C Cummerow, G Spohn, C Geisen, E Seifried & H Bönig

  2. Medion Grifols Diagnostics, Düdingen, Switzerland

    P Schwind & M Spicher

  3. Department of Medicine/Hematology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    H Bönig

Authors
  1. C Cummerow
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  2. P Schwind
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  3. M Spicher
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  4. G Spohn
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  5. C Geisen
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  6. E Seifried
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  7. H Bönig
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to H Bönig.

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Competing interests

PS and MS are employees of Medion Grifols Diagnostics, a product of which was used for these studies. None of the other authors have a potential conflict of interest to declare.

Additional information

The data were previously presented in abstract form at the 2010 ISBT annual meeting.

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Cummerow, C., Schwind, P., Spicher, M. et al. Apheresis product identification in the transplant center: development of point-of-care protocols for extended blood typing of stem cell apheresis products. Bone Marrow Transplant 47, 860–865 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2011.182

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2011.182

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