The role of ABO matching in platelet transfusion.

A prospective controlled trial was performed to determine whether the use of ABO-identical platelets from the start of treatment might provide higher post-transfusion platelet increments, reduce the number of platelet transfusions and ultimately delay the onset of refractoriness. Forty newly diagnosed patients with haematological diseases were randomized to receive either pooled ABO-identical platelets or pooled platelets unmatched for ABO group throughout their course. The corrected platelet count increments (CCI) were calculated for the first 25 transfusions of each patient and non-immune factors present at the time of each platelet transfusion were documented.

Life-threatening autoimmune hemolytic anemia in a patient with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Increasing numbers of patients are being seen with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). An abnormal serology with a positive direct antiglobulin test has been observed in these patients and is usually not thought to contribute to significant clinical morbidity. We describe a patient with AIDS who presented with a severe hemolytic anemia which was not distinguishable clinically and serologically from the idiopathic form of autoimmune hemolytic anemia.