Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis of 36 blood group alleles among 396 Thai samples reveals region-specific variants.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry is an efficient method for rapid routine genotyping and investigation of outliers identified novel variation among our samples. The expected high prevalence of the Mi(a+) phenotype was observed from both regions. Of potential clinical relevance in a region where transfusion-dependent thalassemia is common, we identified two RHCE*02 alleles known to encode an e-variant antigen.