RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Several studies on the frequency and distribution of unexpected antibodies of Koreans have been done by some investgators. But more studies are necessory to grasp the real frequency and distribution. We hoped to investigate the frequency and distribution of unexpected antiboddis of Koreans. METHODS: We performed 188 unexpected antibody identification tests to evaluate the distribution of unexpected antibodies from May 1997 to June 1998. The sera we tested are antibody screening positive ones sent from 11 hospitals and 1 blood center. We also analized the frequecny of unexpected antibodues from the data of Dongsan Medical Center's antibody screening tests. RESULTS: The frequency of unexpected antibody of this study (using tube method) was 1.0%. Both anti-Lea and anti-E (with anti-c) antibodies were the most frequent antibodies up to 31 cases (33.0%) each. Among the identified antibodies from Dongsan Medical Center which used tube method, anti-Lea antibody was the most frequent antibody (41.3%). Otherwise among the identified antibodies from other two hospitals which used gel card method, anti-E (with anti-c) antibody was the most frequent antibody (45.5%). The cause of all four cases of hemolytic disease of newborn was anti-E antibody. About half of the specimens' antibodies were not identified due to the problemes of identification cells, tested sera, test methods. CONCLUSION: Anti-Lea and anti-E (with anti-c) antibodies were the most frequent ones in Korean people. But the prequency was varied according to antibody screenig test methods. Anti-E antibody is the most important unexpected antibidy for hemolytic disease of newborn in Korea. To decrease the missed cases of antibody identification tests both Korean and foreign identification cells, enzyme method should be used.