Lack of predictive value of antileukocyte antibody screening in granulocyte transfusion therapy.

To clarify the relationship between recipient presensitization and response to granulocyte (PMN) transfusion, we tested 187 non-HL-A matched donor-recipient pairs for the presence of antileukocyte antibody using granulocytotoxicity (G), lymphocytotoxicity (L), microleukoagglutination (M), and capillary leukoagglutination (C) assays. PMN increments per 10(11) transfused PMNs per square meter of body surface area, ascertained one hour following termination of transfusion, and the occurrence of nonhemolytic transfusion reactions, were correlated with the assay results. Although circulating anti-donor-leukocyte antibody was detected in 52 per cent of recipients, there was no statistically significant relationship between the presence of these antibodies and either PMN recovery or incidence of transfusion reaction. We conclude that the prospective use of these assays is of little value in predicting the recipient's response to PMN transfusion.