Formaldehyde induced anti-N: a possible cause of renal graft failure.

Treatment of human red cells with low concentrations of formaldehyde induces an antigenic change which makes them react very strongly with the anti-N sera found in certain patients treated by haemodialysis. This supports the idea that formaldehyde sterilisation of reusable home dialysers leads to the development of anti-N in these patients' sera. The clinical problems produced by this antibody are discussed together with ways of overcoming them.