Antigen matching for transfusion support in Brazilian female patients with sickle cell disease to reduce RBC alloimmunization.

BACKGROUND: Red blood cell (RBC) alloimmunization is a complication of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and it has a greater impact on pregnancy, leading to a risk of hemolytic disease of the newborn and reducing blood availability for pregnant women. This study proposed to evaluate antigen matching transfusion protocols, aiming to reduce RBC alloimmunization in Brazilian female patients with SCD. METHODS: Samples from female patients with SCD (153) and self-declared Afro-Brazilian donors (307) were genotyped for RBC antigens and RH variants were investigated. The transfusion needs of patients during 1-year period and the number of compatible donors were assessed using three antigen-matching transfusion protocols: prophylactic CEK antigen-matched RBCs, prophylactic extended antigen-matched RBCs, and extended-matched red blood cells (RBCs) only for alloimmunized patients. In addition, RH molecular matching has been proposed for patients carrying variant RHCE. RESULTS: Provision of CEK antigen-matched donors would have been possible in 92.4% of transfusion events while provision of prophylactic extended antigen-matched RBCs would cover 88.7% of the transfusion events. Extended antigen matching for alloimmunized patients would be efficient in 99% of the cases. The presence of partial D in 10 patients increased the need of D-negative donors. Compatible donors could be enough for four of the five patients with altered RHCE genotypes in both alleles. CONCLUSION: In Brazilians, screening African descent donors allows the implementation of prophylactic CEK and extended antigen-matching transfusion protocols to female patients with SCD to reduce RBC alloimmunization; however, the supply of compatible blood can be impaired for patients with Rh variants.

Correlation among automated scores of agglutination, antigen density by flow cytometry and genetics of D variants.

BACKGROUND: Laboratory testing to identify the molecular basis of serologic weak D phenotypes is recommended to determine whether a pregnant woman or potential transfusion recipient should be managed as RhD-positive or RhD-negative. The variation in D antigen expression on RBCs, different potencies of anti-D typing reagents, lack of standardized test methods, and the subjectivity of interpreting agglutination reactions complicate the detection of D variants. We evaluated the correlation of agglutination scores by an automated immunoassay analyzer with D antigen densities determined by flow cytometry, and D variant types identified by molecular analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected 273 blood donor samples with agglutination scores of less than 92 (4+), measured by an automated analyzer (NEO®, Immucor, Norcross, GA, USA). D antigen densities were measured by flow cytometry for 89 samples. Samples were classified as molecularly-determined weak D or partial D variants by multiplex PCR, PCR RFLP and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: All samples with a D antigen density ≥15% had an agglutination score >80 (4+). Agglutination scores for weak D types varied from 10 to 90. Agglutination scores for partial D antigens were graded with scores varying from 60 to 99. D antigen densities varied from 0.55% to 10.67% for weak Ds and 4.1% to 30.5% for partial Ds. DISCUSSION: Our results showed that score values follow a pattern among D variants that could be related to antigen density and to the RhD variant classification.

Regulamentando políticas públicas em reprodução assistida para casais soroconcordantes homoafetivos / Regulating public policy regarding assisted reproduction for seroconcordant homosexual couples / Reglamentando políticas públicas en reproducción asistida para parejas seroconcordantes homoafectivas

Resumo Tecnologias reprodutivas permitem que casais soroconcordantes homoafetivos tenham filhos biológicos saudáveis, já que, se aplicadas adequadamente, impedem a transmissão vertical do vírus da imunodeficiência humana. Diante do avanço das ciências naturais e das consequências sociais que o acompanham, a ciência jurídica deve progredir para lidar com essas novas realidades. Com base nisso, a pesquisa propõe-se a investigar a obrigação estatal de regulamentar políticas públicas que contemplem técnicas de reprodução assistida, visto que a integralidade do direito à saúde e ao planejamento familiar deve abarcar o grupo-objeto deste estudo. Utilizou-se método dedutivo e técnicas de revisão literária, com enfoque na legislação brasileira vigente, em monografias do biodireito e resoluções do Conselho Federal de Medicina sobre o tema.

Abstract Reproductive technologies allow HIV positive seroconcordant homosexual couples to have healthy biological children, since, if executed properly, they prevent the vertical transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus. Given the advance in natural sciences and the accompanying social consequences, law must progress to deal with these new realities. Based on that, the present study proposes to investigate the state obligation on the regulation of public policies that contemplate assisted reproduction techniques, since the right to health and family planning should encompass the object group of this research. We used the deductive method and literary review techniques focusing on the Brazilian legislation in force, biolaw dissertations and the resolutions of the Brazilian Federal Council of Medicine on the subject.

Resumen Las tecnologías reproductivas permiten que las parejas seroconcordantes homoafectivas tengan hijos biológicos saludables, ya que, si se aplican adecuadamente, impiden la transmisión vertical del virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana. Frente al avance de las ciencias naturales y de las consecuencias sociales que lo acompañan, la ciencia jurídica debe progresar para lidiar con estas nuevas realidades. En base a ello, el presente estudio se propone investigar la obligación estatal de reglamentar políticas públicas que contemplen técnicas de reproducción asistida, puesto que la integralidad del derecho a la salud y a la planificación familiar debe abarcar al grupo-objeto de esta investigación. Se utilizaron el método deductivo y técnicas de revisión de la literatura, enfocándose en la legislación brasileña vigente, en monografías de bioderecho y en resoluciones del Consejo Federal de Medicina acerca del tema.