The effect of granulocyte transfusions on patient RBC genotype results
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A study of potential effects of granulocytes interfering with genotyping results in post granulocytes transfusion samples.
IRAS ID
327166
Contact name
Matthew Hazell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHSBT
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 2 months, 2 days
Research summary
When a patient has a recent red blood cells (RBCs) transfusion within the last 3 months, there is evidence that transfused donor RBCs interfere with the RBC antigens phenotyping. This is because of the donor’s RBCs are still present the patient’s blood circulation post red blood cells transfusion. Predicted RBC phenotype is based upon genotyping of DNA from a patient's white blood cells in a sample. Therefore, similar to patient recently transfused granulocytes, there will be a high volume of the donors’ neutrophils in their circulation, which could potentially interfere with the RBC genotype results. This may be because the standard adult dose for granulocyte transfusion is 2 pools of 10 donations.
When predicting the wrong phenotype, this may have a significant impact on classifying the detected antibody and result in selecting the wrong RBC antigen negative blood for the correspond antibody. The risk of haemolytic transfusion reaction (HTR) is higher when transfusing antigen positive to a patient known to have the corresponding clinically significant alloantibody. A haemolytic transfusion reaction is a serious complication that can occur after a blood transfusion. The reaction occurs when the RBCs that were transfused are destroyed by the person's immune system. When RBCs are destroyed, the process is called haemolysis.
In summary, this project is to compare the RBC genotype results of pre, intermediate and post granulocyte treatment to patients. The comparison is to evaluate whether there is a change in the result of the patient's predicted RBC phenotype that may be caused due to the donors’ granulocytes. As part of the standard patient's investigations, whole blood samples are collected for transfusion and haematology investigation. Once the investigations are completed in these laboratory investigations, they are disposed of. Instead, the samples will be requested for RBC genotyping in the RCI laboratory.
REC name
Wales REC 6
REC reference
23/WA/0244
Date of REC Opinion
21 Aug 2023
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion