Prevalence of A2and A2B subgroups along with anti-A1antibody in patients and donor population and its clinical significance

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The clinical significance of anti-A1antibody among A2and A2B subgroups is controversial. Few case reports have shown clinically significant anti-A1antibody at 37°C, causing hemolysis of donor red cells. The present study aims to find the prevalence of A2and A2B and the clinical significance of anti-A1antibody in these subgroups of A. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective observational study was done in a tertiary care center in the eastern part of India. Gold standard test tube technique was used to determine blood group and distinguish A1from A2based on agglutination reaction with anti-A1lectin. Serum of A2and A2B subgroups was tested with A1red cells to confirm the presence of anti-A1antibodies. Further testing of anti-A1antibody was also performed to determine whether the antibody is IgM or IgG and of any clinical significance. RESULTS: A total of 2874 blood samples of both patients and donors were analyzed. Among A blood group, 98.4% were A1 and, whereas 1.6% were A2, whereas among AB blood group, A1B and A2B were 93.9% and 6.1%, respectively. Only 3 out of 13, A2B patients (23.07%) showed the presence of anti-A1antibody but without any clinical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Our study could not find any clinically significant anti-A1antibodies. Thus, we insinuate any requirement of mandatory testing for the determination of A1, A2,and anti-A1antibodies. Subtyping will help in the use of A2donor for renal transplant in O and B group patients and the use of A2platelets also in O and B group patients.