Detection of red cell antibodies: comparison of two low ionic strength diluents

Abstract

Various low ionic strength diluents are used routinely for red cell alloantibody detection in the antiglobulin test to increase the rate of antibody association to antigen, thereby allowing a reduction in the incubation time while achieving optimal agglutination. Two commercial low ionic strength diluents (DiaMed ID-CellStab and Inverclyde LISS) were assessed using the DiaMed-ID LISS Coombs' microtube column system, to assess whether or not the choice of diluent influences red cell antibody detection. Effects of two low ionic strength diluents after 15-min incubation were assessed in 150 samples containing a wide range of typical red cell alloantibodies. Inverclyde LISS gave significantly higher reaction strengths in 25% of samples when compared with the same red cells suspended in ID-CellStab. Variation in reaction strengths ranged from 1+ to 2+, using Inverclyde LISS versus CellStab. Of 131 red cell alloantibodies directed against Rh, Kell, Kidd and Duffy antigens, Inverclyde LISS detected 90% after 15-min incubation, whereas 83% were detected with CellStab. This study suggests that Inverclyde LISS provides better red cell alloantibody detection than does ID-CellStab, and this may be due to the higher ionic strength of ID-CellStab.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Comparison of three low‐ionic‐strength solutions for routine pretransfusion testing: antibody screening/identification, cross‐matching, immune anti‐ABO detection, and direct antiglobulin tests

“…In addition to LISS provided by each manufacturer, numerous products are available at widely varying costs ranging from 0.034 €/ml to 0.67 €/ml. Despite the widespread use of LISS few publications have studied differences between commercially available brands 3,4 . The purpose of this letter is to communicate the results of an attempt to use a single LISS, that is, LISS Diagast (Diagast, Loos, France), for all tests requiring LISS regardless of the RBC panel or microcolumn used.…”