Plateletapheresis program. II. Computer selection of HLA compatible donors

A rapid, cost-effective data entry and computerized matching system was developed for selection of HLA compatible cytapheresis donors for platelet-alloimmunized patients. The system was user-orientated with a computer-generated prompting system that facilitated program operation. Expansion of the number of compatible donors was achieved by treating splits and crossreactive HLA antigens as identical. By this mechanism, a 500-member donor pool easily supported the needs of a large patient population for single-donor cytapheresis platelets. An average of 3.4 compatible donors per patient was identified. For only two of the 48 (4%) thrombocytopenic recipients was transfusion support from the available donors inadequate to provide a posttransfusion platelet increment. At the end of 7 months, donation frequency for the 441 donors then in the pool averaged 2.0 +/- 2.4. This figure increased to 2.8 +/- 2.4 donations for the 176 panel members who actually underwent cytapheresis. Thus, the impact on donors participating in this program was not excessive.