Update on red blood cell alloimmunization in sickle cell disease and in thalassemia

Repetitive red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are the main supportive treatment in sickle cell disease (SCD) and thalassemia patients. Blood transfusion is a life-sustaining therapy for these patients, but it has side-effects such as iron overload and alloimmunization. RBC alloimmunization remains a major challenge of chronic transfusion therapy and occurs when the immune system is exposed to foreign antigens that are different from its own...