Evaluation of ABO Isoagglutinin Titers in Korean Adults

Kim, Jae Seok; Hyun, Ryu Kwang; Lee, Hong Ki; Kim, Dae Won

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Isoagglutinin titers may be useful markers in the assessment of ABO-incompatible transfusion, bone marrow transplantation, and solid organ transplantation as well as determination of ABO subtypes, and screening of B cell defect. ABO isoagglutinin titers can be differed according to age, gender, race, and environmental factors. We determined isoagglutinin titers of IgM anti-A, anti-B in Korean healthy adults.
METHODS
Sera from 215 adults of blood group A, B, and O were tested. IgM isoagglutinin titers were determined by mixing the two fold serum dilutions from 1:2 to 1:512 with pooled 3% red blood cells. Tests were read after spinnig the tubes at 3400 rpm for 15 seconds.
RESULTS
The results were analyzed according to the ABO types, ages, and sex. From 77 sera from group A (44 male, 33 female), the geometric mean of IgM anti-B titers in group A was 73.5 (male 84.4, female 61.4), and the median was 64 (male 64, female 64). From 68 sera from group B (36 male, 32 female), the geometric mean of IgM anti-A titers in group B was 64.0 (male 64.0, female 65.3), and the median was 64 (male 64, female 64). From 70 sera from group O (64 male, 28 female), the geometric means of IgM anti-B and anti-A titers in group O were 52.3 (male 42.2, female 72.5) and 64.4 (male 63.1, female 70.5), respectively. And the median were 64 (male 32, female 64) and 64 (male 64, female 64), respectively. There were no linearity of isoagglutinin titers with the increase of age in Korean adults from 20 to 69 years old.
CONCLUSION
The titers of IgM anti-B and anti-A isoagglutinin in Korean adults were estimated to be equally 1:64. No decrease of ABO isoagglutinin titers were observed with the increase of age from 20 to 69 years old.