Exploring trends of red blood cell alloimmunization among transfusion recipients and healthy blood donors at a tertiary care hospital centre: A comprehensive analysis

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and types of unexpected red cell antibodies in blood donors and blood recipients at a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India. The focus was on alloimmunization and its potential impact on transfusion safety, especially for preventing hemolytic reactions and improving compatibility in transfusion practices. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Regional Blood Transfusion Center of a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, screening 2500 blood donors and 2500 blood recipients over a 2-month period. Antibody screening was performed using a 3-cell screening panel, with positive cases undergoing detailed clinical history assessment and additional testing with an 11-cell identification panel. Statistical analysis: The association between gender and alloimmunization was assessed using the Chi-square test, with P ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The overall alloimmunization rates were 0.16% in blood donors and 1.08% in blood recipients. Female recipients had a significantly higher alloimmunization rate (1.30%) compared to males (0.27%) ( P = 0.0082). The most commonly identified antibodies were anti-D and anti-E (45.16%), followed by anti-Le a /anti-Le b (16.12%) and anti-M/anti-K (12.9%) each. Among thalassemia patients, the alloimmunization rate was 1.34%. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of comprehensive pre-transfusion antibody screening, donor phenotyping, and leucodepletion to reduce the risk of alloimmunization and transfusion-related complications. A multifaceted approach combining these strategies can enhance transfusion safety. Further research on the role of leukodepletion in preventing alloimmunization and reducing infection transmission is needed to optimize transfusion practices.