Blood and Blood Derived Products Transfusion Induced Immuno-Modulation.

¹Nagwa M Shawky, ¹Merfat M Azab, ¹Ebtehag H Hassan and ²Layla M Sherif.

Departments of ¹Clinical Pathology and ²Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt.

Immunophenotyping of T-lymphocyte subsets using FAC scan flowcytometry was performed to study the modulating effect of blood transfusion on 30 multitransfused children with different clinical courses. The study comprised 40 subjects classified into; Group I: ten haemophilic children receiving factor VIII or plasma; Group II: ten children with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura receiving fresh whole blood or blood products (platelet); Group III; ten thalassemic children receiving repeated blood transfusion and packed cells and Group IV; ten apparently healthy children as a control group, age and sex were matched. Results demonstrated significant low level in RBCs count, Hb and HCT in thalassemic patients compared to other groups. Also, total T cell % (CD3) showed significant reduction in thalassemics when compared with other groups. There was significant reductions in T-helper cell%(CD4), CD4/CD8 ratio and NK cell % in the three studied groups when compared to controls. The total B cell% (CD19) showed significant increase in thalassemics compared to control and haemophilics and T-suppressor cell % (CD8) showed significant increase in the three studied groups when compared to controls. As regards activated T cell % (HLA-DR) there was non significant difference in all patient groups as compared to control group. It seems reasonable to assume that the process of allogenic blood transfusion is associated with immunosuppression.