Severe hemolytic transfusion reaction due to anti-D in a D+ patient with sickle cell disease

J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2015 Mar;37(2):e135-7. doi: 10.1097/MPH.0000000000000241.

Abstract

A 5-year-old male with sickle cell disease presented with pain, dark urine, and fatigue 10 days after a red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. Laboratory evaluation demonstrated severe anemia, blood type O+, and anti-D in the serum. Anti-D in a D+ patient led to RH genotyping, which revealed homozygosity for RHD*DAU4 that encodes partial D antigen. Anti-D in this patient whose RBCs exclusively express partial D caused a delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction after exposure to D+ RBCs. The finding of anti-D in a D+patient should be investigated by molecular methods to help distinguish an alloantibody from an autoantibody.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anemia, Sickle Cell / complications*
  • Anemia, Sickle Cell / therapy
  • Blood Group Incompatibility / diagnosis
  • Blood Group Incompatibility / etiology*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Erythrocyte Transfusion / adverse effects*
  • Humans
  • Isoantibodies / analysis*
  • Isoantibodies / immunology
  • Male
  • Pain / diagnosis
  • Pain / etiology
  • Prognosis
  • Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / blood*
  • Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / immunology
  • Rho(D) Immune Globulin
  • Transfusion Reaction / diagnosis

Substances

  • Isoantibodies
  • RHO(D) antibody
  • Rh-Hr Blood-Group System
  • Rho(D) Immune Globulin
  • Rho(D) antigen