Blood genotyping for improved outcomes in chronic transfusion patients: current and future perspectives

Figures & data

Table 1 Applications of blood group genotyping

Patients
• Type the patients’ own RBCs when they have received multiple transfusions or have positive direct antiglobulin tests
• Help identify rare RhD variants
• Determine which phenotypically antigen-negative patients can receive antigen-positive RBCs
• Type patients who have an antigen that is expressed weakly on RBCs
• Resolve A, B, and RhD discrepancies
• RHD type fetuses (eg, one carried by an RhD negative mother) without using invasive procedures
• Determine RHD zygosity
• Distinguish an alloantibody from an autoantibody
• Type patients who have received allogeneic stem cell transplant
Donors
• Genotype donors for certain antigens (eg, Dombrock) that are hard to ascertain because of antisera unavailability or weak potency
• Type donors for antibody identification panels
• Mass screen for antigen-negative individuals
• Find rare donors
• Increase the inventory of antigen-negative units