Réflexions sur les sérums-tests de groupage érythrocytaire destinés aux équipements Groupamatic

Abstract

These considerations are limited to the problems raised by the routine reagents used on Groupamatic equipment, for ABO group determination and for D, C, c, E, e, Kell and Lewis(a) antigen erythrocyte phenotyping. For all the test sera, it is necessary to have on one hand a specificity without any failure, and on the other hand, an adequate titer in order to detect all the normal corresponding antigens and the maximum of weak phenotypes. Thus, some examples are presented showing the necessity of avoiding the use of too weak or too diluted test sera, or of reagents with an uncontrolled specificity on Groupamatic. The reagent supply can be foreseen : either by the use of standard manual test sera or by the production of special Groupamatic ones. In the first case, the dilution to be used must be checked for the safety of group determination and for economical imperatives and the specificity must be evaluated on a enough large number of different phenotype samples. With exception, this solution has been selected for the C.N.T.S. It imposes additional work to the users and the dilution rates changes can be a cause of mistake. In the second case, the reagent quality is guaranteed by the producer and the test sera can be used straight away, the normal usual controls being added. The question of the opportunity of the red cell group reagent standardization for the Groupamatic equipment use can be set, for the rate as well as for the medium of dilution. The manufacturers should be in a position to test their reagents in the used technology, as is done for manual test sera. The number and reliability of Groupamatic instruments now in the field does perhaps stress the need for setting up national or international standards and the establishment of an agreement control.