Blood Transfusion Guidelines

Introduction to Duffy Blood Group System

• The American Society of Hematology recommends extended red cell antigen matching including Fya/Fyb for patients with sickle cell disease to prevent alloimmunization 1

Relationship Between Rh Phenotypes and Duffy Antigen Distribution

• Having knowledge of which D-positive phenotypes are likely to be Fya-negative helps expedite compatibility workup for patients with multiple antibodies, with R2R2 (D+) phenotype being the most likely to be Fya-negative 2
• Extended phenotyping or genotyping is recommended for patients who may require multiple transfusions, particularly those with multiple antibodies 2