Accelerated destruction of radiolabeled red cells due to anti‐Coltonb

Abstract

A patient who developed anti-Cob in response to transfusion was studied. The antibody was a warm-reactive, high-titered, IgG alloantibody that did not fix complement, and reacted strongly in the antiglobulin phase. During a period of transfusion the patient developed a positive direct immunoglobulin test with anti-Cob recoverable in the eluate. Reactions were stronger with enzyme-treated red cells. Survival studies with 51Chromium-labeled red cells showed: 1) normal survival of Co(b-) red cells, and 2) accelerated destruction of Co(b+) red cells; initially, cells were destroyed with a one-half disappearance time of 4 days, but after about 4 days, the rate of destruction increased. This study, together with reported suspected transfusion reactions attributed to anti-Cob, suggest that anti-Cob should be considered a clinically significant antibody.