Extended red blood cell phenotyping among regular donors in Fayoum, Egypt. Red Blood Cell Inventory Plan

Background Antibodies to clinically significant red cell antigens contribute to hemolytic transfusion reactions and hemolytic disease of fetus and newborn. The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of extended red cell antigen phenotypes among regular donors in Fayoum, Egypt, and to create an emergency model database for chronic transfusion patients. Similar data in Egypt is rare to find in the literature. Patients and methods The study was carried out over 1 year from December 2020 until November 2021in Fayoum University Hospital Blood Bank. In all, 1834 healthy known blood donor samples were analyzed for major Rh phenotypes (D, C, c, E, e) and for other clinically significant systems including Kell, Kidd, MNS, and Duffy. Results Phenotypic frequencies of Rh system were D+ (84.4%), e+ (79.6%), and C+ (63.9%). The K antigen frequency was 4.3%, Jka 79.4%, Jkb 62.37%, Fy a 33.2%, Fy b 44.4%, M antigen 88%, N antigen 38.6%, and the S and s antigens 48.2 and 85.3%, respectively. Conclusion Determination of red cell antigen phenotyping in Fayoum, Egypt, plays an important role in setting a routine phenotyping strategy for multiple transfused patients by keeping the donor database for rare phenotypes to prevent hemolytic transfusion reaction.