Platelet Antibodies and Fever: Their Association in Multitransfused Patients with Hemato-Oncological Diseases

Abstract

The posttransfusion platelet increment depends significantly on the clinical condition of the patient and the presence of platelet-reactive antibodies. We prospectively determined the development of platelet-reactive antibodies in weekly intervals at the time of chemotherapy in 17 multitransfused patients with hemato-oncological diseases. Sera were tested by both the MAIPA technique and the lymphocytotoxicity test (LCT) for antiplatelets against HLA class I antigens. In addition, we applied the MAIPA technique to determine the presence of platelet-reactive antibodies against human platelet-specific alloantigens (HPA-1, -2, -3, -5) and the platelet membrane glycoproteins (GP) Ia/IIa, Ib/IX, IIb/IIIa (panreactive). Platelet-reactive HLA antibodies were the most common antibodies, found in the sera of 8 patients. They were transient in 5 patients and were constantly detectable throughout the observation period in the other 3. Ten sera from 7 patients were positive for HLA antibodies by MAIPA, but negative by LCT. Of note, in 5 patients the presence of antibodies was indicated by MAIPA, but the LCT became positive only in the consecutive sample.