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. 2024 Oct-Dec;46(4):455-461.
doi: 10.1016/j.htct.2024.03.003. Epub 2024 Apr 29.

Prevalence of anti-HLA antibodies in COVID-19 convalescent plasma donors: an Indian experience

Ram Mohan Jaiswal  1 , Aseem Kumar Tiwari  2 , Ashina Singla  3 , Ashish Jain  3 , Rajaat Vohra  3 , Munish Kakkar  3 , Prashanth Suravajhala  4
Affiliations

Prevalence of anti-HLA antibodies in COVID-19 convalescent plasma donors: an Indian experience

Ram Mohan Jaiswal et al. Hematol Transfus Cell Ther. 2024 Oct-Dec.

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 convalescent plasma is one of the experimental therapies used widely in moderately sick COVID-19 patients. However, there are a few risks involved in plasma transfusion; notably, transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) caused by antibodies against human leukocyte antigens (HLA). This study was designed to assess the prevalence of anti-HLA antibodies in convalescent plasma donors using the single antigen bead method.

Study design and methods: This was a hospital-based observational study of consecutive plasma donors. A total of 252 samples were screened for anti-HLA Class I and Class II antibodies using the microbead assay with the identification of anti-HLA Ab in positive samples being performed using a single antigen bead assay. Luminex-based normalized background cutoff ratios of 10.8 for Class I and 6.9 for Class II and mean fluorescence intensity cutoffs of 2500 for Class I and 1500 for Class II were used for screening and the single bead assay, respectively.

Results: Of 252 screened samples, 28 (11.1 %) were positive for Class I, Class II or both Class I and Class II anti-HLA antibodies in donors with no history of a previous immunizing event. Moreover, 20/252 (7.9%) donors without any history of prior immunization had specific anti-HLA antibodies of Class I or Class II or both by the single bead assay.

Conclusions: The high prevalence of anti-HLA antibodies in our cohort of donors raises an urgent and immediate need for anti-HLA antibody screening in all convalescent plasma donors for safe therapy of COVID-19 patients.

Keywords: Anti HLA antibody; CCP; TRALI.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest The authors confirm that there are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of HLA Class I & II antibodies according to LABScreen mixed screening test.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of Class I, Class II and both Class I & II positivity according to the single antigen bead (SAB) assay.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Labscreen mixed & single antigen bead (SAB) assay Class I and Class II samples.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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