The Blood Transfusion Lab Flashcards
Describe characteristics of antibodies
Antibodies are protein molecules –immunoglobulins (Ig)
Usually of the immunoglobulin classes: IgG and IgM
Found in the plasma
Produced by the immune system following exposure to a foreign antigen
Reactions to blood usually occurs when?
Reactions to blood usually occurs when the antibody in the plasma reacts with an antigen on the cells
Blood group systems - how many and which ones most important
There are 26 known blood group systems
ABO and Rh are clinically most important
Effect of antigens in transfused blood on pt
Antigens in transfused blood can stimulate a patient to produce an antibody but only if the patient lacks the antigen themselves
Relation of antibody prod with transfusions
The frequency of antibody production is very low but increases the more transfusions that are given
Describe ways to stim antibody prod
Blood transfusion
i.e. blood carrying antigens foreign to the patient
Pregnancy
Fetal antigen entering maternal circulation during pregnancy or at birth
Environmental factors
(i.e. naturally acquired e.g. anti-A and anti-B)
Effect of antigen-antibody reactions in vivo
in vivo (in the body) leads to the destruction of the cell either:
directly when the cell breaks up in the blood stream (intravascular)
indirectly when liver and spleen remove antibody coated cells (extravascular)
Agglutination - define
Agglutination is the clumping together of red cells into visible agglutinates by antigen-antibody reactions
Agglutination - cause
Agglutination results from antibody cross-linking with the antigens
List what agglutination can identify and what allows it to do this
As the antigen-antibody reaction is specific, agglutination can identify:-
The presence of a red cell antigen
i.e. blood grouping
The presence of an antibody in the plasma
i.e. antibody screening/identification
ABO antibodies effect
ABO antibodies can activate complement causing INTRAVASCULAR HAEMOLYSIS
Group A -
RBC type
AB present
AT present
Group A -
RBC type = A
AB present = anti-B
AT present = A antigen
Group B -
RBC type
AB present
AT present
Group B -
RBC type = B
AB present = anti-A
AT present = B antigen
Group AB -
RBC type
AB present
AT present
Group AB -
RBC type = AB
AB present = none
AT present = A and B antigens
Group O -
RBC type
AB present
AT present
Group O -
RBC type = O
AB present = anti-A and anti-B
AT present = no antigens
Result for testing patient’s red cells with anti-A, anti-B and anti-D
agglutination shows that a particular antigen is on the red cells
no agglutination shows the antigen is absent
Result for testing patient’s plasma with A cells and B cells
agglutination shows that a particular antibody is in the plasma or serum
no agglutination shows the antibody is absent
ABO Compatibility - recipient blood group O
Only compatible with donor red cell O
ABO Compatibility - recipient blood group A
Only compatible with donor red cells O and A
ABO Compatibility - recipient blood group B
Only compatible with donor red cells O and B
ABO Compatibility - recipient blood group AB
Compatible with donor red cells O, A, B + AB
Rh grouping system - characteristics
50+ antigens:
Most important antigen is called D.
People with D antigen are D positive (85% of UK)
People who do not produce any D antigen are D negative (15%)
The other 4 main antigens are known as C, c, E and e
Rh (D) typing - conditions and result
Must be tested in duplicate (or tested each time and compared to historical result)
Patient / Donor classified as D pos or D neg
Clinical significance of Rh in transfusion
Transfusion
D antigen is very immunogenic and anti-D is easily stimulated - PREVENTION!
All Rh antibodies are capable of causing severe transfusion reaction- ANTIBODY DETECTION