Korean Red Cross HLA-Matched Platelet Donor Registry

Background: Transfusion of HLA-matched platelets is required when development of platelet refractoriness occurs after repeated platelet transfusion.This study was conducted to establish a HLA-matched platelet donor registry to supply matched platelets to patients who develop platelet refractoriness.Methods: HLA-matched platelet donors were recruited among plateletpheresis donors.HLA-A and HLA-B antigen types of recruited donors were tested using a polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific oligonucleotide probe method.Results: A total of 1,029 plateletpheresis donors were recruited.HLA-A and HLA-B antigen frequencies of recruited donors were similar to those of previously reported HLA antigen frequencies of Koreans.During the study period, a patient with platelet refractoriness recovered after receiving six units of HLA-matched platelets.Conclusion: During this study 1,029 donors were registered as HLA-matched platelet donors and a patient with platelet refractoriness received HLA-matched platelets using this registry.Supply of HLA-matched platelets will be facilitated by continuous expansion of the number of registered HLA-matched platelet donors, development of a program for management and searching for HLA-matched donors, and establishment of a request-supply system between hospitals and the Korean Red Cross through further studies.(Korean J Blood Transfus 2015;26:291-299)