Resolving discrepancies in the ABO System

The study of the ABO blood group, both in the donor and in the recipient, is a fundamental step in transfusion safety, since an ABO-incompatible transfusion can cause a severe acute hemolytic reaction in the patient. One of the causes that can lead to this situation is an error in the ABO typing in the laboratory. To carry out a correct ABO typing, in addition to knowing the specific technique, having the correct reagents and complying with the working procedures, it is essential that there is a concordance between the result of the globular part and the serum part. When there is no such concordance, we speak of a discrepancy, which must be solved before validating the result. In this session we will review the physiological and genetic bases of the ABO blood group and the typing techniques, as well as the reasons for possible discrepancies and how to address them. This activity is supported by an independent support grant from Grifols.