HLA antibody screening in kidney transplantation: current guidelines

Abstract

Background: In organ transplantation, the introduction of the solid phase immunoassay technology radically changed the practice of antibody monitoring against human leukocyte antigens (HLA).

Purpose: Precise identification of antibody specificities in complex sera of sensitized patients and monitoring of low levels of donor-specific HLA antibodies in the posttransplant phase became possible. However, at the same time, new technical problems and great variation emerged in the interpretation of test results, indicating a need for standardization.

Conclusion: In May 2012, The Transplantation Society (TTS) recruited a panel of laboratory and clinical experts to discuss emerging testing and clinical management issues that are associated with antibody testing in organ transplantation. In this article, we provide a summary of the TTS recommendations formulated in this international effort on the standardization of antibody monitoring in kidney transplantation.