Anti-D in a mother, hemizygous for the variant RHD*DNB gene, associated with hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn.

Individuals with the partial D phenotype when exposed to D+ red blood cells (RBCs) carrying the epitopes they lack may develop anti-D specific for the missing epitopes. DNB is the most common partial D in Caucasians and the clinical significance for anti-D in these individuals is unknown. This article describes the serologic genotyping results and clinical manifestations in two group D+ babies of a mother presenting as group O, D+ with alloanti-D. The mother was hemizygous for RHD*DNB gene and sequencing confirmed a single-nucleotide change at c.1063G>A. One baby (group A, D+) displayed bilirubinemia at birth with a normal hemoglobin level. Anti-A and anti-D were eluted from the RBCs. For the next ongoing pregnancy, the anti-D titer increased from 32 to 256. On delivery the baby typed group O and anti-D was eluted from the RBCs. This baby at birth exhibited anemia, reticulocytosis, and hyperbilirubinemia requiring intensive phototherapy treatment from Day 0 to Day 9 after birth and was discharged on Day 13. Intravenous immunoglobulin was also administered. Both babies were heterozygous for RHD and RHD*DNB. The anti-D produced by this woman with partial D DNB resulted in a case of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) requiring intensive treatment in the perinatal period. Anti-D formed by women with the partial D DNB phenotype has the potential to cause HDFN where the fetus is D+. Women carrying RHD*DNB should be offered appropriate prophylactic anti-D and be transfused with D- RBCs if not already alloimmunized. © 2017 AABB.

Citation

Kelli M Quantock, Genghis H Lopez, Catherine A Hyland, Yew-Wah Liew, Robert L Flower, Frans J Niemann, Arthur Joyce. Anti-D in a mother, hemizygous for the variant RHD*DNB gene, associated with hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn. Transfusion. 2017 Aug;57(8):1938-1943

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PMID: 28639307

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