A study sponsored by Rallybio is currently underway to determine whether the risk of developing fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) differs by self-reported race and ethnicity. Study details were published on the Overview of Medical Research in the Netherlands (OMON) registry.
FNAIT occurs when there is a mismatch between the human platelet antigen (HPA), a type of protein found on platelets, of the mother and fetus. As a result, the pregnant individual’s immune system will attack the fetus’ platelets in a process known as alloimmunization.
In most white individuals, FNAIT arises when the fetus produces the HPA-1a protein while the mother produces the HPA-1b protein. “Data reporting on the frequency of the HPA-1b/b genotype in non-Caucasian populations is limited,” the authors explained.
The goal of the study is to assess the risk of HPA-1a alloimmunization in a diverse set of populations by following a group of women aged 18 or older throughout their pregnancies.
Read more about FNAIT causes and risk factors
The primary outcome is the number of participants in each racial and ethnic group who are considered to be high risk for FNAIT. Secondary outcomes include the frequency of HPA-1a alloimmunization, the frequency of various pregnancy outcomes and the frequency of neonatal thrombocytopenia. Rates of miscarriage, stillbirths and live births in the study population will also be recorded.
In terms of safety, the authors state that the study is low-risk, as participation will primarily involve a simple blood test. They caution that patients who are informed that they are at a high risk of FNAIT may experience an increased psychological burden, however.
The authors stated they hope the results from this study can be used in the future to evaluate potential therapeutics to prevent FNAIT caused by HPA-1a alloimmunization.
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