HLA antibodies following blood transfusion in patients with ESRD
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Impact of blood donor HLA mismatch on the risk of sensitisation following blood transfusion in patients with end stage renal disease
IRAS ID
240729
Contact name
Becky Ward
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Joint Research Compliance Office
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
HLA antigens (a type of protein) are present on most of the cells of the human body. People inherit HLA proteins (or ‘tissue type’) from their parents. Antibodies against HLA proteins are made by a person when their immune system is exposed to somebody else’s HLA proteins, for example after blood transfusion, pregnancy or transplantation. Patients who have HLA antibodies are often described as being ‘sensitised’. We know that renal patients who are sensitised on the transplant list have a longer wait time for a kidney donor and should they receive a transplant, have worse outcomes. Prevention of the development of HLA antibodies is of paramount importance to patients who potentially require a renal transplant. Blood transfusion is the only modifiable risk factor for sensitisation. Blood transfusions should be avoided if possible in renal patients, and the use of the ‘erythropoietin’ or EPO (a red cell hormone injection) has dramatically reduced transfusion requirement. However, patients still require blood transfusions at times and are therefore at risk of being sensitised. The absolute risk of being sensitised following blood transfusions is not known.
The aim of this study is to determine the risk of sensitisation following blood product transfusion in renal patients who are candidates for transplantation, and to analyse if the HLA mismatch (the difference in HLA proteins) between the blood donor and patient influences the risk of sensitisation. We will only be using clinical data already available on the study patients. We will, however, be asking for saliva tests, on the healthy volunteers who donated the blood which was transfused to the study patients. If sensitisation risk is high, it will help provide evidence that all renal patients who potentially may require a transplant should receive either HLA matched blood or appropriate HLA mismatched blood.REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/WM/0161
Date of REC Opinion
22 Jun 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion