[Gel technique, a new sensitive method for the determination of erythrocyte antibodies. Advantages and disadvantages with introduction of a new method].

A gel technique for the detection of red blood cell antibodies was evaluated for antibody screening. A total of 1872 samples were screened using both gel technique and the conventional serological method, and later 18,292 samples were analysed by the gel technique and results confirmed by conventional methods. In both methods, Anti Human Globulin technique and enzyme technique were applied. The gel system gave false-negative results in 0.2% and false-positive results in 0.9% of the samples. The gel system was more sensitive than conventional technique in the detection of antibodies of clinical importance and less sensitive in detecting antibodies with low incidence of haemolytic transfusion reactions and haemolytic disease of the newborn. The gel technique seems suitable for laboratories with equipment for automatic pipetting of samples and reagents.