In order to investigate the overall incidence of irregular antibodies in Korea, antibody
screening tests and identification procedures with saline (room temerature) phase,
albumin (37℃) phase, antiglobulin phase, and enzyme-antiglobulin phase were performed
on 3,114 transfusion candidates. The following results were obtained.
1. Irregular antibodies were identified in 49 cases (1.57%) out of 3,114 patients, and
44cases of them were detected by saline technique at room temperature, 4 cases by
antiglobulin and one case by albumin technique at 37℃ respectively. This indicates that
the majority of irregular antibodies are cold reacting types in Korea.
2. The specificities of the irregular antibodies determined with cell pannels were;
anti-Lea 17(0.55%) , anti-p₁ 9(0.29%), anti-I 8(0.26%), anti-E 4(0.13%),
anti-IH 4(0.13%), anti-M 2(0.06%), anti-D 1(0.03%), anti-Lua 1(0,03%),
anti-Leb 1(0.0%), and anti-Lea+Leb 1(0.03%)
respectively.
3. Past medical history of those 49 cases having irregular antibodies revealed
pregnancy in 24 cases and previous transfusion in 32 cases.
4. The ABO phenotype of the patients wish Lewis antibodies was A in 11 cases, B in
5 cases, and O in 3 cases.
5. In conclusion, antibody screening tests and crossmatching with albumin, enzyme,
and antiglobulin technique may not be seriously considered for routine use in blood bank
in Korea, except for those patients with past history of pregnancies and multiple
transfusion.
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