Can a crossmatch be performed on a patient sample drawn two days prior?

Can a crossmatch be performed on a patient sample drawn two days prior?

• A. Yes, a new sample would not be needed
• B. Yes, but only if the previous sample has no alloantibodies
• C. No, a new sample is needed because the 2-day limit has expired
• D. No, a new sample is needed for each testing

Answer: (A)

The answer is correct because crossmatching can typically be performed on a patient sample that has been drawn within a suitable time frame, which often includes samples taken a couple of days prior. In many transfusion services, samples are considered valid for crossmatching as long as the patient's serological status regarding antibodies has not changed. This is contingent on the assumption that no significant changes in the patient's clinical condition or serological profile have occurred in the intervening time. In practice, if the sample was drawn just two days before the intended crossmatch, and no alloantibodies are known to have been developed or documented since that time, the sample may still provide valid results for compatibility testing. Moreover, many transfusion centers adhere to specific timeframes for sample validity, but two days often falls within acceptable limits for the majority of the testing protocols. To summarize, as long as no new alloantibodies have formed and there are no compelling reasons to suspect changes in the patient's antibody profile, a sample from two days prior remains viable for conducting a crossmatch.

The answer is correct because crossmatching can typically be performed on a patient sample that has been drawn within a suitable time frame, which often includes samples taken a couple of days prior. In many transfusion services, samples are considered valid for crossmatching as long as the patient's serological status regarding antibodies has not changed. This is contingent on the assumption that no significant changes in the patient's clinical condition or serological profile have occurred in the intervening time.

In practice, if the sample was drawn just two days before the intended crossmatch, and no alloantibodies are known to have been developed or documented since that time, the sample may still provide valid results for compatibility testing. Moreover, many transfusion centers adhere to specific timeframes for sample validity, but two days often falls within acceptable limits for the majority of the testing protocols.

To summarize, as long as no new alloantibodies have formed and there are no compelling reasons to suspect changes in the patient's antibody profile, a sample from two days prior remains viable for conducting a crossmatch.