Incidence and specificity of HLA antibodies in multitransfused patients with acquired aplastic anemia.

Background: This study aimed to establish the prevalence and characteristics of anti-HLA in antibody acquired aplastic anemia patients following cessation of antithymocyte globulin therapy and to characterize antibody in terms of epitope specificity.

Study Design And Methods: One hundred and fifty multitransfused, untransplanted patients from eight European centers were investigated by serologic methods.

Results: Sixty-two percent were antibody positive.