Efficient antibody screening using gel centrifugation.
In a prospective study including 6,674 sera, antibody screening was performed (1) by tube test (saline/albumin/antiglobulin), (2) by gel centrifugation (Diamed) using two tests, saline/room temperature and antiglobulin/37 degrees C, and (3) by gel centrifugation using a single test antiglobulin (IAT)/ room temperature (RT). By gel centrifugation (saline RT + IAT 37 degrees C), compared to tube test, 40% more Coombs-reactive antibodies but 60% fewer cold-reactive antibodies were detected. Similar results were obtained by gel centrifugation using a single test IAT RT instead of the two tests saline RT + IAT 37 degrees C. A case of delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction was observed caused by anti-C demonstrable only by gel centrifugation. [table: see text]