Platelet Transfusion Therapy in an Alloimmunized Patient: The Value of Crossmatch Procedures for Donor Selection

A 51-year-old patient with acute myelogenous leukemia, who was alloimmunized to platelets, failed to show adequate platelet increments after receiving transfusions of HLA grade A-identical platelets. Only platelets from an HLA grade B-matching donor gave high increments. Several crossmatching procedures were used to select platelet donors. A correlation was seen between in vitro tests and in vivo response. HLA typing has limitations in the selection of platelet-compatible donors. ( JAMA 1982;248:2301-2303)