Thrombocytopenia associated with the use of GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors: position paper of the ISTH working group on thrombocytopenia and GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B R Curtis.
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Assays measuring platelet-associated immunoglobulin G (PAIgG), while highly sensitive, lack specificity in diagnosing autoimmune thrombocytopenia (AITP). We prospectively evaluated a new commercially available glycoprotein (GP)-specific assay, the PakAuto (GTI, Brookfield, WI), for its clinical usefulness in distinguishing immune from nonimmune thrombocytopenia (TP), in 216 patients with autoimmune TP (both primary "idiopathic" and "secondary") and 46 patients with TP due to other causes. This assay is designed to detect both platelet-associated (direct assay) and plasma (indirect assay) antiplatelet antibodies specific for GPs IIb/IIIa, Ib/IX, and Ia/IIa. The mean platelet counts of the immune (79 +/- 7 x 10(9)/L) and nonimmune groups (78 +/- 7 x 10(9)/L), were similar (P=0.95). The direct assay was positive in 114/216 patients with AITP (53%), and 13/46 with nonimmune TP (28%). Among the AITP group, the majority (61%) of patients with positive test results had autoantibodies reactive against all three GP targets. The sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values for the direct PakAuto were 53%, 72%, 90%, and 24%, respectively, comparable to previously published experience of GP-specific assays. However, in some cases of TP due to nonimmune cause, the PakAuto was highly specific. Only 3 of 22 patients with gestational and 1 of 8 with familial/congenital TP had a positive direct assay, indicating that the test may be particularly useful for excluding an immune etiology for TP in certain patient subgroups.
BACKGROUND: Acute thrombocytopenia is a recognized side-effect of treatment with the fibrinogen receptor antagonist, abciximab, a chimeric (human/mouse) Fab fragment. The etiology of this complication is not fully understood. Generally, abciximab-induced thrombocytopenia occurs within a few hours of starting treatment with the drug. We have characterized a group of 13 patients who first developed thrombocytopenia 3-6 days after abciximab was discontinued. OBJECTIVE: To characterize clinical and serological aspects of this newly recognized clinical entity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical information was obtained from attending physicians and review of hospital records. Antibodies reactive with abciximab-coated platelets were characterized by flow cytometry. RESULTS: In each patient, IgG and/or IgM antibodies reactive with abciximab-coated platelets were identified. These antibodies could be distinguished from similar antibodies present in many normal persons by two criteria-they were relatively resistant to inhibition by normal Fab fragments, and they reacted preferentially with platelets coated with 7E3, the murine monoclonal antibody from which peptide sequences in abciximab are derived. Antibodies with these characteristics were not found in pretreatment serum from three of the thrombocytopenic patients or in patients given abciximab who did not develop thrombocytopenia. CONCLUSIONS: 'Delayed thrombocytopenia' after treatment with abciximab is caused by antibodies produced in response to the drug. These antibodies may be specific for murine peptide sequences in abciximab but could recognize other target epitopes on abciximab-coated platelets. Physicians administering abciximab should be aware of this potential complication of treatment, which usually occurs after discharge from hospital.
We report here the first case of severe immune thrombocytopenia induced by a second-generation cephalosporin antibiotic, Loracarbef. A 56-year old white female developed acute severe thrombocytopenia associated with acute respiratory symptoms following administration of Loracarbef. She responded to Loracarbef withdrawal and systemic corticosteroid administration. Loracarbef-dependent platelet-reactive antibodies were demonstrable in her serum by flow cytometry.
BACKGROUND: TRALI is usually an immunologic reaction to WBC antibodies in infused plasma and ranks second only to ABO mismatch as a cause of transfusion-associated death. Implicated donors are usually multiparous women (>/=3 pregnancies). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Two fatal cases of TRALI were evaluated by reviewing clinical and laboratory findings and characterizing alloantibodies present in donor plasma. Investigation for WBC antibodies was by lymphocytotoxicity (LCT), FlowPRA (FlowPRA, One Lambda, Inc.) and granulocyte immunofluorescence and agglutination assays. Patient 1 was a 62-year-old man with chronic T-cell lymphocytic leukemia, and Patient 2 was a 54-year-old woman undergoing a cadaveric kidney transplant. Both patients developed acute respiratory distress and hypotension during (Patient 1) and approximately 30 minutes after (Patient 2) transfusion. Fulminant pulmonary edema ensued in both cases necessitating mechanical ventilation and both patients died within 24 hours of the onset of respiratory complications. RESULTS: The donors of the implicated blood components were women with a history of two pregnancies but no blood transfusions. Weak apparently panreactive granulocyte antibodies were detected with flow cytometry. However, in the granulocyte agglutination test, strong antibodies specific for human neutrophil antigen (HNA)-3a (5b) were identified in both donors. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that female blood donors with only two previous pregnancies can form clinically important granulocyte-reactive alloantibodies leading to fatal TRALI reactions in recipients. The sometimes devastating consequences of TRALI should prompt the development of strategies to prevent or reduce its incidence. Further research is warranted to investigate recipient and donor factors responsible for TRALI, including whether 5b (HNA-3a) alloantibodies are especially prone to cause severe reactions, and to better characterize the HNA-3a (5b) antigen, particularly at the molecular level.
BACKGROUND: Maternal antibodies that cause neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia are commonly identified by solid-phase assays that detect the causative antibodies on the basis of their reactions with specific PLT glycoproteins. Two cases of severe neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia caused by maternal antibodies specific for human PLT antigen 3a (HPA-3a [Baka]) that failed to give the expected reactions in some solid-phase assays were recently encountered. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: PLT-reactive antibodies were characterized by three different solid-phase assays and by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The two maternal antibodies gave negative reactions in the antigen capture ELISA, modified antigen capture ELISA, and MoAb immobilization of PLT antigens tests but reacted strongly in flow cytometry with intact PLTs that were HPA-3a+. Other sera samples specific for HPA-3a reacted equally well in all assays. CONCLUSIONS: The two antibodies appear to recognize an epitope on the HPA-3a+ form of glycoprotein IIb that is lost when PLTs are solubilized in detergent, as required for solid-phase assays. The diagnosis was made in these cases because no HLA antibodies were present, allowing an HPA-3a-specific reaction to be identified with intact PLTs as targets. Such antibodies are likely to be overlooked when HLA antibodies are also present.
It is widely thought that expression of ABH antigens on platelets is insufficient to materially affect the survival of ABH-incompatible platelets in transfusion recipients, but anecdotal reports of poor survival of A and B mismatched platelets suggest that this is not always the case. The A and B antigen expression on platelets of 100 group A(1) and group B blood donors was measured, and 7% and 4%, respectively, had platelets whose A and B antigen levels consistently exceeded the mean plus 2 SD. On the basis of flow cytometric and statistical analysis, donors whose platelets contained higher than normal levels of A antigen were subdivided into 2 groups, designated Type I and Type II ("high expressers"). Serum A(1)- and B-glycosyltransferase levels of A and B high expressers were significantly higher than those of group A(1) and B individuals with normal expression. H antigen levels were low on the red cells of high expressers, indicating that the anomaly affects other cell lineages. Immunochemical studies demonstrated high levels of A antigen on various glycoproteins (GPs) from high-expresser platelets, especially GPIIb and PECAM (CD31). The A(1) Type II high-expresser phenotype was inherited as an autosomal dominant trait in one family. The sequences of exons 5, 6, and 7 of the A(1)-transferase gene of one Type II A(1) high expresser and exon 7 from 3 other genes were identical to the reported normal sequences. Further studies are needed to define the molecular basis for the high-expresser trait and to characterize its clinical implications. (Blood. 2000;96:1574-1581)
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BACKGROUND: Identifying the isotype of an immunoglobulin (IgM vs. IgG) detected in a patient sample is especially important in anticipating the risk of hemolytic disease of the newborn. Currently, 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) treatment of a sample is used in the authors' laboratory to degrade IgM, and this is followed by retesting. This method has multiple drawbacks. The purpose of this study was to develop a flow cytometry (FC) assay that would replace the 2-ME treatment protocol (2-ME treatment). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A preliminary FC assay was developed, modified, and refined through the use of stock antibodies. Then, 10 samples containing antibodies were tested in parallel by the FC assay and 2-ME treatment. RESULTS: When a 10-unit mean channel fluorescence change was used as an index of a positive result, the FC assay detected all isotypes identified by 2-ME treatment. The FC assay was also able to identify mixtures of isotypes. One antibody that had not reacted in conventional agglutination testing was detected by the FC assay. The amount of fluorescence and the agglutinating strength of the antibody did not parallel each other. In one case, this discrepancy may have reflected an antibody that was primarily IgA. CONCLUSIONS: The FC assay appears to be as accurate as 2-ME treatment in differentiating IgG from IgM. The FC assay produces a positive endpoint for both isotypes, will identify IgA, requires less sample, and has no odor.
Although thrombocytopenia associated with the use of histamine H2 receptor (H2R) antagonists has been described, a drug-dependent, platelet-reactive antibody has not previously been identified in such cases. We studied serum from a patient who developed acute, severe thrombocytopenia after exposure to the H2 receptor antagonist, ranitidine, and identified an antibody that reacted with normal platelets in the presence of this drug at pharmacologic concentrations. In flow cytometric and immunoprecipitation studies, the antibody was shown to be specific for the glycoprotein Ib/IX complex (GPIb/IX). From the pattern of monoclonal antibody (MoAb) inhibition and the reactions of antibody with Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with GPIX and GPIbbeta, we found that the patient's antibody is specific for an epitope on GPIX close to, or identical with a site recognized by the MoAb SZ1 that is a common target for antibodies induced by quinine and quinidine, drugs structurally unrelated to ranitidine. These findings provide evidence that immune thrombocytopenia can be caused by sensitivity to an H2 R antagonist and suggest that the SZ1 binding site on GPIX may be a common target for drug-induced antibodies. Further studies of the epitope for which SZ1 is specific may provide clues to the mechanism(s) by which drugs promote tight binding of antibody to a membrane glycoprotein and cause platelet destruction in patients with drug sensitivity.
In an effort to define the posterior inferior junction line (PIJL) and its clinical associations more precisely, 64 posteroanterior radiographs demonstrating the PIJL or left pleuroesophageal stripe (LPES) were analyzed for the presence of emphysema, kyphosis, air-filled esophagus, and/or tortuous aorta. Pursuant to the possible association of a PIJL or LPES with an air-filled esophagus, posteroanterior radiographs of 66 patients with achalasia were evaluated for the presence of a PIJL or LPES. To determine the components of the PIJL or LPES, 50 randomly selected computed tomographs (CT) of the chest were reviewed. Finally, 118 posteroanterior radiographs of patients with emphysema were analyzed for the presence of a PIJL and/or LPES to determine the sensitivity of the line/stripe for emphysema. The finding of a PIJL and/or LPES had a combined sensitivity of 23% for emphysema. Although certain other anatomic constructs lead to the presence of a line or stripe, emphysema is the most commonly associated clinical entity with a positive predictive value of 65.8%. The line and/or stripe is formed by interfaces between lung/lung, lung/esophagus, or both at different levels.
BACKGROUND: The granulocyte antigens NA1 and NA2 are the two recognized allelic forms of Fc gamma receptor IIIB. These antigens are clinically relevant, because they are the most frequent targets of neutrophil antibodies in alloimmune neonatal neutropenia, transfusion-related acute lung injury, and chronic benign autoimmune neutropenia of infancy. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A genotyping assay for NA1 and NA2 using polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific forward and reverse oligonucleotide primers has been developed and validated. Genomic DNA was isolated from the peripheral blood of 478 unrelated individuals of five ethnic groups and used as template for NA genotyping. RESULTS: A validation study of 22 serologically typed samples (2 NA1/NA1, 10 NA1/NA2, and 10 NA2/NA2) was performed. A concordance rate of 100 percent (22/22 samples) was observed between the genotyping assay and serologic typing. In the genotyping study conducted, the NA1 and NA2 gene frequencies observed were 0.31 and 0.69 for African Americans, 0.30 and 0.70 for Asian Indians, 0.37 and 0.63 for whites, 0.53 and 0.47 for Hispanics, and 0.55 and 0.45 for Native Americans, respectively. CONCLUSION: Polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers provides a simple and rapid alternative to neutrophil antigen typing by serologic tests. The NA1 and NA2 gene frequencies observed in Asian Indians and African American populations are similar to those observed in white populations, while those observed in Native American and Hispanic populations are more similar to those previously reported for Asian populations.
BACKGROUND: About 5 to 10 percent of Asians have platelets that lack the major membrane glycoprotein (GP) IV (CD36, GPIIIb) that carries the isoantigen Naka. The GPIV-negative platelet phenotype is extremely rare among whites, but its frequency in persons of African ancestry has not yet been determined. Isoimmunization against GPIV can occur in GPIV-negative persons and can lead to platelet transfusion refractoriness. Therefore, the expression of GPIV on platelets from unrelated African Americans was studied. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Platelets were obtained from 250 African American and 280 white blood donors. Flow cytometry was used to determine the ability of these platelets to bind a monoclonal antibody that reacted with GPIV. Platelets that failed to react with this probe were tested with other GPIV-specific monoclonal antibodies and with anti-Naka, an isoantibody that recognizes an epitope on GPIV. RESULTS: Platelets from 6 of the 250 African American donors (2.4%) lacked GPIV and failed to bind anti-Naka, whereas platelets from all of the white donors were GPIV positive (p>0.05). No platelet-reactive antibodies were identified in the serum of the GPIV-negative donors. CONCLUSION: The frequency of the GPIV-negative platelet phenotype in African Americans is comparable to that in Asians and much greater than that in whites. Studies are needed to determine the frequency with which African Americans become isoimmunized to GPIV by transfusions and the possible contribution of this isoimmunization to platelet transfusion refractoriness in this population.
Drug-dependent IgG antibodies (DDAb) induced by sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and sulfisoxazole (SIX) were identified by flow cytometry in 15 patients who developed thrombocytopenia while taking one of these medications. Fourteen of the 15 DDAb were specific solely for the glycoprotein (GP)IIb/IIIa complex, and 13 of these reacted wholly or in part with epitopes present only on the intact GPIIb/IIIa heterodimer. None of 12 SMX-induced DDAb cross-reacted with SIX, but one of three SIX-induced antibodies reacted with SMX. Each of 10 SMX-induced DDAb tested reacted with the N1-acetyl metabolite of SMX, but only one reacted fully with the N4-acetyl derivative. Detection of the SMX- and SIX-dependent antibodies was facilitated by using bovine serum albumin (BSA) to achieve suspension of these weakly soluble drugs in an aqueous medium. Our findings indicate that DDAb induced by SMX and SIX, in contrast to those induced by quinidine and quinine, are mainly specific for GPIIb/IIIa and react preferentially with calcium-dependent epitopes present only on the intact GPIIb/IIIa heterodimer.
BACKGROUND: There is intense interest in the potential of current white cell (WBC)-reduction filters to prevent the alloimmunization of patients by the residual donor WBCs in filtered blood components transfused to them. Little attention has been paid to the capacity of current synthetic fiber filters to remove WBC membrane fragments bearing detectable leukocyte antigens. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated monoclonal antibody to a universal WBC membrane antigen (CD45) and high-speed centrifugation coupled with ficoll-hypaque differential sedimentation were used to quantitate low-density WBC fragments in single-donor platelet components before and after filtration to determine if a polyester fiber filter retained WBC fragments. RESULTS: Prefiltration measurements in 25 single-donor platelet components indicated that WBC fragments increased with length of storage up to 5 days at room temperature (p < 0.0001). When fragments in eight components were measured before and after filtration, absolute values for differences were insignificant (p = 0.15). CONCLUSION: WBC fragments were poorly retained by these polyester fiber WBC-reduction filters. The antigenicity of WBC fragments could contribute to the WBC alloimmunization of some recipients of WBC-reduced blood components.
BACKGROUND: Several cold autoantibodies (usually IgG) with IT specificity have been reported previously, as have autoantibodies with joint I and P blood group specificities (IP1, ITP1, iP1, IP). A fatal outcome associated with an IgM cold autoantibody of ITP specificity is reported. CASE REPORT: A 54-year-old man suffered from progressively severe cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia for 9 months. Hemoglobin concentration ranged from 6 to 7 g per dL (60-70 g/L) and reticulocytes from 3 to 5 percent (0.030-0.050). The direct antiglobulin test was weakly positive for IgM and strongly positive for C3d. The serum contained a cold agglutinin that reacted strongest with cord i red cells (RBCs) > adult I RBCs > adult i RBCs, which is consistent with IT specificity. The Donath-Landsteiner test was positive; the reaction was neutralized by globoside. The serum reacted weakly or was negative with RBCs from five group p blood donors, which suggests anti-ITP specificity. Dithiothreitol treatment of the serum abolished the cold agglutinin reactivity, which suggests that the anti-IT was IgM. The patient received > 40 RBC transfusions and failed to respond to oral steroids, oral cytoxan, high-dose pulse intravenous steroids, and plasma exchange at room temperature and at 35 degrees C. He died of sepsis following an unsuccessful trial of chlorambucil. Autopsy revealed unsuspected disseminated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. CONCLUSION: Serologic studies are consistent with our patient's having a single IgM cold autoantibody with IT and P specificities (anti-ITP) and requiring both specificities on the same RBC to permit maximal antibody expression.
A 54 y.o. woman presented with acute Coombs-negative hemolytic anemia at an outside hospital where she received 25 RBC transfusions and did not respond to prednisone or splenectomy. On transfer to our hospital, routine DAT and IAT were weakly positive, occasionally negative. When a modified "cold" antiglobulin test was employed, the result was strongly positive for IgG, weakly positive for C3d. Cold agglutinin titer was 32, and the Donath-Landsteiner test was negative. The autoantibody exhibited Pra specificity. The patient failed IV-IgG, high dose IV pulse steroids and cyclophosphamide, and continued to require daily transfusions. She responded 21 days after receiving daily plasma exchange (x3), with pulse cyclophosphamide on the third day, followed by escalating daily oral cyclophosphamide.