Potential of commercial anti-D reagents in the identification of partial D variants in Indian population.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: As partial D variants are of clinical importance in transfusion medicine, the present study aims to determine the efficiency of commercial anti-D reagents to identify partial D variants. METHODS: Forty two samples of known partial D identified in the Indian population were tested with seven commercial monoclonal anti-D reagents. RESULTS: Most of the monoclonal anti-D reagents gave strong positive reactions (24 to 59%) to weak positive (28 to 47%) with partial D cells. Polyclonal anti-D detected all partial D variants as RhD positive, though reacting weakly with the majority (83%) of them. All the seven commercial monoclonal anti-D reagents detected some variants as D negative. Analysis of pairs of these reagents showed that the combinations of reagents 1 & 2 and 1 & 6 could detect all partial D variants as RhD positive and hence can be used for donor testing. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Findings of our study showed that none of the monoclonal reagents when used individually could detect all partial D variants. A combination of two suitable anti-D reagents are necessary to detect maximum number of partial D variants.