A comparison of two column agglutination technologies for routine antibody screening using the indirect antiglobulin technique.

Two commercial column agglutination technologies were compared for routine antibody screening using the indirect antiglobulin technique with 1000 heparinised blood samples from a general hospital. The I.D. microtyping system (Diamed) utilises a Sephadex gel, and the Biovue system (Ortho Diagnostics) consists of a column containing minute glass beads. Both systems have antihuman globulin incorporated into them resulting in agglutinates being trapped and allowing free red cells to pass through to the base. The purpose of this study was to compare the two technologies with the minimum amount of variables possible. The spin tube antiglobulin technique was not included in this study as this technology has not been used in this laboratory since January 1991. The systems compared well, despite different serological problems.