Single-center comparison of gel microcolumn and solid-phase methods for antibody screening

Our facility changed antibody screening methods from a gel microcolumn–based test (ID-Micro Typing System Gel Test; Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Inc., Raritan, NJ) to an automated solid-phase test (Galileo/Capture-R Ready-Screen [I and II], Immucor, Inc., Norcross, GA). To determine whether detection rates for commonly encountered clinically significant red blood cell antibodies differed as a consequence of this change, preimplementation and postimplementation antibody identification records were retrospectively reviewed. A statistically significant difference in the percentage of positive screening tests during the gel microcolumn testing period (73,903 total screens, 1.56% confirmed positive) versus the solid-phase screening period (80,242 total screens, 1.81% confirmed positive; p < 0.0002) was observed. The number of antibodies to K identified was significantly lower with solid phase than with gel (27% decrease; p = 0.004). It is unknown whether there is a statistical difference in delayed or hemolytic transfusion reaction rates as this was not evaluated. Immunohematology2013;29:101–04.