Irish medical journal
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Irish medical journal · Apr 2003
Causes of sensitisation in patients awaiting renal transplantation in Ireland.
Sensitisation to HLA antigens, formed as a result of transfusion, previous allografts or pregnancy, remains a significant problem in transplantation. The aim of this study was to define the causes of sensitisation of potential renal allograft recipients in Ireland in the post-EPO era. A retrospective survey of all patients who were active on the renal transplant waiting list during 1996 was performed evaluating the panel reactive antibodies (PRA), history of sensitising events, and waiting time for transplantation. ⋯ The percentage of patients who had been transfused in the 1996 cohort (71%) was similar to the percentage of patients transfused on the waiting list in August 1999 (75%). These data demonstrate that transfusion remains an important cause of sensitisation, despite the use of EPO. Measures to further reduce the use of transfusion or the use of immunosuppression at the time of transfusion in potential allograft recipients may be of value in the future.