Anti-LW Showing Anti-D Mimicking Specificity: A Case Report

LW antigens are expressed in higher intensities in D-positive blood cells than D-negative cells, which can result in false identification of anti-D in pretransfusion testing. Although several cases of anti-LW have been reported abroad, to the best of our knowledge, none have been reported in Korea. Herein, we report a case of anti-LW in a 58 year-old RhD positive patient with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma with a positive direct Coombs test and a suspicion of the presence of passive anti-D antibodies because of a history of intravenous immunoglobulin administration. However, during a 5-month follow up, the antibody was confirmed as anti-LW on grounds that it showed weakened reaction in dithiothreitol treated cells and enforced reaction in cord O＋ cells when compared to the results from antibody identification panel cells.