Alloimmunisation to platelet transfusions in the Indian patients.

ABSTRACT

Twenty nine patients of acute and chronic leukemia undergoing chemotherapy and receiving blood transfusions (BT) and platelet transfusions (PT) from random donors (3-20 PT from 4-56 donors) were followed up for alloimmunisation using the platelet immunofluorescence test. Two women patients aged 65 and 28 yr reacted positive. Both patients had received multiple BT but no PT at the time of testing. Both were parous women. Our results point to the need to test for alloimmunisation prior to starting PT in parous women who have received multiple BT, although a study on larger number of patients is necessary for confirmation.