Description of Procedure or Service Rhesus (Rh) D-negative women who are exposed to RhD-positive red blood cells can develop anti-Rh antibodies, which can cross the placenta and cause fetal anemia. If undiagnosed and untreated, alloimmunization can cause significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. Determining the Rh status of the fetus may guide subsequent management of the pregnancy. The us...

155 Abstract: Alloimmunization can be a significant complication of transfusion therapy in patients with thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies. The aim of this study was to investigate Rh and Kell antigens in patients with thalassemia major and in donors in Turkey. A total of 3061 donors and 155 thalassemic patients from three different blood donation centers in Turkey were the subjects of this st...

The safety of the blood supply has been a concern over the past 20-30 years because of the transmission of infectious diseases. Blood is still routinely tested for viruses, and leukoreduction is an effective strategy to reduce the transmission of cell-associated viruses. Clinically, the benefits of leukoreduction include decreases in transfusion reactions, HLA alloimmunization, infections, feve...

F OUR YEARS AGO an editorial in Blood identified a number of issues concerning policy decision-making about the clinical use of leukodepleted cellular blood products to prevent HLA-alloimmunization and refractoriness to transfused allogeneic platelets.’ In that editorial, Schiffer concluded that it was premature to recommend platelet leukodepletion for routine use. The issues identified in that...