FACTORS INFLUENCING PANEL REACTIVE ANTIBODY TITERS IN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS

Blood transfusion, previous transplantation and pregnancy are the most important factors that influence the panel reactive antibody (PRA) sensitization in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The presence of PRA positive patients who has not been exposed to common triggering fetors have led the investigators to search for other causes of PRA sensitivity. We planned this study to search for the clinical and laboratory parameters and PRA positivity.

Our study group was consisted of 94 female and 99 male patients (mean age: 44.6±15.8, mean HD duration: 42.2±15.3 months, hepatitis markers: 100 HCV (-) and 93 HCV (+). Thirty of the patients had renal transplantation history. PRA measurement was performed with One Lambda Cell Tray. The patients whose PRA levels were more than 30% were accepted to be PRA positive.

There was significant relation between transplantation history, HD duration and PRA levels of the patients (HD duration was 50.8±40.5 and 37.1±38.9 months, p =0.028 in PRA (+) and (-) patients respectively and PRA positivity ratio of patients with previous transplantation and those without were 90% and 17.2%, respectively, p=0.0002). We did not find any signifcant relationship between age, gender, HD duration, blood group, number of blood transfusions, r-HuEPO dose, presence of HCV infection and PRA positivity.

In conclusion, HD duration and previous transplantation are important factors influencing PRA positivity.