Detection of chimaerism after bone marrow transplantation using the double amplification refractory mutation system.

We have developed a highly sensitive double amplification refractory mutation system (double ARMS) for the detection of extremely low levels of mixed chimaerism after bone marrow transplantation. The system we chose for double ARMS analysis is a highly polymorphic region 5' to the human delta-globin gene. Double ARMS analysis was found to correlate well with an established minisatellite system and was shown to demonstrate a very low level of mixed chimaerism in cases undetectable by the latter method.