A 31-year-old Japanese woman with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia became pregnant voluntarily. She had had transfusions with more than 60 units for severe bleeding. She had multiple antibodies against HLA antigens and platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa. No compatible platelets were available. To prevent serious hemorrhage during her delivery, antibody removal therapy was carried out three times. Large molecules including immunoglobulins were removed from more than 3 liters of plasma each time. After the titer of antiplatelet antibodies had decreased in the patient's blood, antihuman globulin-lymphocyte cytotoxicity test compatible platelets were transfused. Her bleeding time improved and delivery was induced successfully despite atonic hemorrhage of about 2,000 g of blood. Her infant had no bleeding problems. This patient is the first with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia to receive antibody removal therapy at delivery.

A 31-year-old Japanese woman with Glanzmann’s thrombasthenia became pregnant voluntarily. She had had transfusions with more than 60 units for severe bleeding. She had multiple antibodies against HLA antigens and platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa. No compatible platelets were available. To prevent serious hemorrhage during her delivery, antibody removal therapy was carried out three times. Large molecules including immunoglobulins were removed from more than 3 liters of plasma each time. After the titer of antiplatelet antibodies had decreased in the patient’s blood, antihuman globulin-lymphocyte cytotoxicity test compatible platelets were transfused. Her bleeding time improved and delivery was induced successfully despite atonic hemorrhage of about 2,000 g of blood. Her infant had no bleeding problems. This patient is the first with Glanzmann’s thrombasthenia to receive antibody removal therapy at delivery.

No abstract

Sib^a, a new platelet-specific alloantigen involved in a case of platelet transfusion refractoriness is reported. The IgG platelet alloantibody was detected in a multiply transfused patient of Japanese extraction (Sib), by the presence of HLA antibodies. After transfusion of HLA-compatible platelets, the patient suffered from refractoriness. Adsorption studies with pooled lymphocytes showed that the serum contained anti-platelet activity. Family studies indicate that Sib^a is inherited as an autosomal codominant trait and separate from HLA and Bak^a. As of this report, segregation from Zw (P1^A) and Yuk (Pen) antigen systems have not yet been determined. The gene frequency of Sib^a in the Japanese population is estimated to be 0.136.

Siba, a new platelet-specific alloantigen involved in a case of platelet transfusion refractoriness is reported. The IgG platelet alloantibody was detected in a multiply transfused patient of Japanese extraction (Sib), by the presence of HLA antibodies. After transfusion of HLA-compatible platelets, the patient suffered from refractoriness. Adsorption studies with pooled lymphocytes showed that the serum contained anti-platelet activity. Family studies indicate that Siba is inherited as an autosomal codominant trait and separate from HLA and Baka. As of this report, segregation from Zw(PlA) and Yuk (Pen) antigen systems have not yet been determined. The gene frequency of Siba in the Japanese population is estimated to be 0.136.