An evaluation of crossmatching, HLA, and ABO matching for platelet transfusions to refractory patients

Abstract

Refractoriness occurs in many patients receiving multiple platelet transfusions. We used a sensitive ELISA assay to assess the utility of crossmatching HLA-A,B matched single donor platelets in 51 consecutive, typical refractory patients. Of the 222 transfusions evaluated at 1 to 4 hours posttransfusion, only 17 of 54 (31%) with positive crossmatches had corrected platelet count increments of ≥7,500/μL. In contrast, 95 of 168 (57%) of those with negative crossmatches had such increments (P