A mild acute hemolytic transfusion reaction in a patient with alloanti-Ge3: a case report and review of the literature

  1. Mariah R. Baughn,
  2. Patricia Whitacre,
  3. Grace S. Lo,
  4. Suchitra Pandey,
  5. Thomas A. Lane*

Article first published online: 10 MAR 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2011.03093.x

Issue

Transfusion

Transfusion

Volume 51, Issue 9, pages 1966–1971, September 2011

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How to Cite

Baughn, M. R., Whitacre, P., Lo, G. S., Pandey, S. and Lane, T. A. (2011), A mild acute hemolytic transfusion reaction in a patient with alloanti-Ge3: a case report and review of the literature. Transfusion, 51: 1966–1971. doi: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2011.03093.x

Author Information

  1. From the Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, California.

*Thomas A. Lane, MD, Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, 3855 Health Sciences Drive #0960, La Jolla, CA 92093-0960; e-mail: tlane@ucsd.edu.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 6 SEP 2011
  2. Article first published online: 10 MAR 2011
  3. Received for publication August 3, 2010; revision received January 4, 2011, and accepted January 4, 2011.

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BACKGROUND: The clinical significance of the Gerbich antibodies has been described as variable and there are no well-documented reports of hemolytic transfusion reactions (HTRs).

CASE REPORT: We present the case of a woman with a long history of documented anti-Ge3 alloantibody who received multiple units of Ge+ red blood cells (RBCs) uneventfully. During the first admission to our hospital she was transfused 8 units of Ge+ RBCs and had a negative monocyte monolayer assay (MMA) before receiving the units. Within 2 weeks of the transfusions, the anti-Ge3 became significantly stronger by indirect antiglobulin test, and the MMA increased from 2.2 to 79.5% reactivity. She returned 4.5 years later with an emergent need for blood and was transfused with 2 units of Ge+ RBCs after premedication with steroids and intravenous immunoglobulin.

RESULTS: The first unit was transfused without incident; however, she developed clinical and laboratory signs consistent with an acute HTR with the second unit.

CONCLUSION: After a comprehensive review of the literature, we believe this to be the first well-documented case of acute HTR due to anti-Gerbich alloantibodies.

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