Hi All,

I hope someone can help me with some clarification. I was reading about the presence of H antigens in different ABO blood group patients, but I am getting different answers depending on what I read. Transfusion Medicine and Hemostasis- Clinical and Laboratory Aspects- 2nd Edition mentions O > A₂ > B > A₂B > A1 > A₁B with O having the most, whereas BBTS Introduction to Transfusion Practice-6th edition mentions O > A₂ > A₂B > B > A₁ > A₁B. Maybe it doesn't really have a big impact to my routine work, but it is still good to be in the know. Any thoughts would be welcome. 

Regards,

Jermin

Edited October 25, 20177 yr by Jermin

All of my books say O>A₂>B>A₂B>A₁>A₁B.

The only impact this may have on your routine work is either if you come across a patient who has auto-anti-H or auto-anti-HI in their plasma (in which case, cross-match ABO compatible units and ignore the results of the panel - because the panel will be group O and so give very strong results with such auto-antibodies), or if you are taking an examination, and the examiner is particularly sadistic or trying to show just how much they know, rather than trying to find out what the candidate knows.

Do, however, watch out for a genuine O_h individual, with an allo-anti-H (which you could come across at any time - if you are unlucky), but such an anti-H is usually, but not always, pretty damn strong!

Hi Malcom,

Thanks again for your swift response, has certainly helped me.

Came across auto-anti-HI almost a month ago, but I don't know if we performed the test properly to differentiate between auto-anti-H and auto-anti-HI, but it was the BB manager's decision, and as procedure doesn't change on how we treat both, I guess it doesn't matter.

CheerS

13 hours ago, Jermin said:

Hi Malcom,

Thanks again for your swift response, has certainly helped me.

Came across auto-anti-HI almost a month ago, but I don't know if we performed the test properly to differentiate between auto-anti-H and auto-anti-HI, but it was the BB manager's decision, and as procedure doesn't change on how we treat both, I guess it doesn't matter.

CheerS

I would thoroughly agree with the BB manager's decision over that one!