Screening for extended blood grouping in children with transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia.

Elfadaly, Heba E.; Elagamy, Osama A.; Eldegwi, Marwa; Elhawary, Eslam E.

Background: Beta-thalassemia is the most common genetic disorder that causes chronic hemolytic anemia. Transfusion therapy and iron chelation are the cornerstones in the management of thalassemia. Aim: To screen children with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia for the presence of minor blood groups. Patients and methods This cross-sectional study was carried out on 30 children on transfusions for at least a year. Results: Nine (30%) patients were negative for RH and 21 (70%) were positive. Ten children had type A blood, twelve had type O blood, five had type B blood, and three had type AB blood. Four (13.33%) patients tested positive for minor blood group antigens, whereas 26 (86.67%) tested negative. Two children tested positive for e-antigen, one for the Kell antigen, and one for the Fya antigen. Five (16.67%) patients tested positive for minor blood group antibodies and 25 (83.33%) tested negative. There was a robust relationship between the frequency of blood transfusions and minor blood group antibodies. There was a significant correlation between patients' minor blood group antibodies and their RH phenotype. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of considering minor blood group antibodies in managing blood transfusions for children with thalassemia. Positive minor blood group antibodies are associated with a need for more frequent transfusions. However, ABO blood group and minor blood group antigens themselves did not significantly affect transfusion frequency in this study.

BLOOD group antigens; ABO blood group system; RH factor; BLOOD grouping & crossmatching; BLOOD groups

Egyptian Journal of Haematology, 2024, Vol 49, Issue 4, p476

1110-1067

Academic Journal

10.4103/ejh.ejh_82_24