Pilot Study of the Incidence of HLA Class I and Class II Antibodies in Platelet Donors and Their Effects on the Transfusion Recipient

Leukocyte antibodies can cause febrile transfusion reactions, pulmonary reactions to granulocyte transfusions, and transfusion related acute lung injury (TRALI). Despite the fact that the role of leukocyte antibodies in these reactions was first described almost 50 years ago, and that TRALI is now the leading cause of transfusion related fatalities, much remains uncertain concerning the role of HLA antibodies in these reactions. The primary purpose of this study is to retrospectively and prospectively determine if the incidence and nature of transfusion reactions differs in Clinical Center (CC) patients that were transfused with platelet components from donors with HLA antibodies and those without HLA antibodies. In addition, this study will prospectively determine the incidence of HLA antibodies in the NIH Department of Transfusion Medicine (DTM) platelet donor population. In this natural history study a 10-mL blood sample will be drawn from 600 platelet donors at the time that they are in the DTM donating platelets and it will be tested for HLA antibodies in the DTM. The blood sample for HLA antibody testing will be collected with other samples collected as part of the regular platelet donation process. Reactions in platelet transfusion recipients will be assessed by reviewing CC and DTM patient records.