Direct Antiglobulin Test
- Also Known As:
- DAT
- Direct Coombs Test
- Direct Anti-human Globulin Test

This page was fact checked by our expert Medical Review Board for accuracy and objectivity. Read more about our editorial policy and review process.
At a Glance
Why Get Tested?
To help diagnose the cause of red blood cells destruction (hemolytic anemia); to investigate a blood transfusion reaction; to diagnose hemolytic disease of the newborn
When To Get Tested?
- When you have had a blood transfusion recently and are experiencing symptoms of a transfusion reaction, such as dizziness, back pain, dark urine, shortness of breath
- When a newborn shows signs of hemolytic disease of the newborn
- When you have symptoms of increased destruction of your red blood cells, which may include feeling tired more often than usual, shortness of breath, headaches, paleness and your healthcare practitioner wants to find out if this happens because your immune system mistakenly makes antibodies that destroy your red blood cells
Sample Required?
A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm
Test Preparation Needed?
None
What is being tested?
The direct antiglobulin test (DAT) determines whether your red blood cells (RBCs) circulating in the bloodstream are covered with antibodies. The antibodies that are attached to the surface of the RBCs are responsible for their destruction.
There are a few reasons why RBCs may be attacked by antibodies:
- Following a blood transfusion: If someone receives a donor’s blood that does not fully match their own type, their body will make antibodies that recognize the donor’s RBC as foreign. These antibodies will attack donor’s RBCs and destroy them. People who have many blood transfusions are more likely to make antibodies to RBCs because they are exposed to more foreign RBC. If someone shows symptoms of a reaction after a transfusion, a DAT will be performed to determine if those antibodies have attached to RBCs.
- Mother/baby blood type incompatibility: A mother and baby may have different blood types if the baby inherits a blood type from the father. During pregnancy or labor, the mother may be exposed to the baby’s RBCs. These RBCs may be recognized by the mother’s immune system as foreign and she will produce antibodies directed against the baby’s RBC. A baby’s RBCs might be covered with antibodies that cross the placenta from the mother’s blood into the baby’s circulation. These antibodies will destroy the baby’s circulating RBCs and cause hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN). A DAT is performed on the blood of a baby to determine if the antibodies have attached to the baby’s RBCs.This may occur when an Rh-positive baby is born to an Rh-negative mother. This type of incompatibility usually does not affect the first baby but affects subsequent children.
- Formerly, antibodies to the Rh protein were the most common cause of hemolytic disease of the newborn, but this condition is now rare due to preventive treatments given to the Rh-negative mother during and after each pregnancy. The most common cause of hemolytic disease of the newborn nowadays is an ABO incompatibility between a Group O mother and her baby. This type of fetal-maternal incompatibility is generally mild.
- Autoimmune diseases and other conditions: Some people make antibodies that target their own RBCs (autoantibodies). These antibodies are produced because the immune system mistakenly recognizes their own RBCs as foreign. Some examples of conditions that cause this include:
- Autoimmune disorders such as lupus
- Malignant diseases such as lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia
- Infections such as mycoplasma pneumonia and mononucleosis
- Drug-induced anemia: Certain drugs can induce antibodies against RBCs and therefore cause their destruction (hemolysis). This is seen with some antibiotics, such as penicillin, cephalosporins and piperacillin. Be sure to tell your health care provider about any drugs you have been taking recently. If the health care provider suspects drug-induced autoimmune anemia, the suspect medication will be discontinued. Symptoms typically resolve promptly after the drug is discontinued.
Common Questions
View Sources
Sources Used in Current Review
2019 review performed by Svetlana Dambaeva, PhD, D(ABMLI), Research Assistant Professor, Associate Director Clinical Immunology Laboratory, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL.
(March 06, 2019) Rh incompatibility. MedlinePlus. Available online at https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001600.htm. Accessed June 2019.
Lichtin AE. Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. Merck Manual. 2016. Available online at http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/blood-disorders/anemia/autoimmune-hemolytic-anemia. Accessed June 2019.
Hemolytic Anemia. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Available online at https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/hemolytic-anemia. Accessed June 2019.
(October 21, 2016) JK Karp, KE King. Direct Antiglobulin Testing: Overview, Clinical Indications/Applications, Test Performance. Medscape Reference. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1731264-overview#a1. Accessed June 2019.
Sources Used in Previous Reviews
Thomas, Clayton L., Editor (1997). Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. F.A. Davis Company, Philadelphia, PA [18th Edition].
Pagana, Kathleen D. & Pagana, Timothy J. (2001). Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference 5th Edition: Mosby, Inc., Saint Louis, MO. Pgs 286-289.
Dhaliwal, G. et. al. (2004 June 1). Hemolytic Anemia. American Family Physician [On-line journal]. Available online at http://www.aafp.org/afp/20040601/2599.html.
Triulzi, D. (2000 October). Indirect and Direct Antiglobulin (Coombs) Testing and the Crossmatch. Transfusion Medicine Update [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.itxm.org/TMU2000/tmu10-2000.htm.
Grund, S., Updated (2004 August 16, Updated). Coombs’ test – direct. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003344.htm.
Grund, S., Updated (2004 August 16, Updated). Coombs’ test – indirect. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003343.htm.
(2001 March).Rh Disease. March of Dimes Fact Sheet [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/681_1220.asp.
(1995-2005). Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. Anemias Caused By Excessive Hemolysis. [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/section11/chapter127/127d.jsp.
Suzanne H. Butch, MA, CLDir. Chief Technologist. Blood Bank and Transfusion Service. University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Julie Brownie MBA, CLS(NCA), SBB(ASCP). Coral Blood Services. Bangor, Maine.
Pagana, Kathleen D. & Pagana, Timothy J. (© 2007). Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference 8th Edition: Mosby, Inc., Saint Louis, MO.pp 307-308.
Wu, A. (2006). Tietz Clinical Guide to Laboratory Tests, Fourth Edition. Saunders Elsevier, St. Louis, Missouri. Pp 126-129.
Cutler, C. (2006 September 11, Updated). Coombs’ test. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003344.htm. Accessed on 10/01/08.
Sandler, S.G. and Johnson, V. (2008 September 25, Updated). Transfusion Reactions. EMedicine [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.emedicine.com/med/TOPIC2297.HTM. Accessed on 10/01/08.
Wagle, S. and Deshpande, P. (2008 September 2, Updated). Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn. eMedicine [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.emedicine.com/ped/TOPIC959.HTM. Accessed on 10/01/08.
Direct Antiglobulin Test (DAT) Information Sheet. United Blood Services [On-line information]. PDF available for download at http://www.unitedbloodservices.org/forms/BS_950.pdf. Accessed on 10/01/08.
(2005 November, Revised). Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec11/ch131/ch131b.html. Accessed on 10/01/08.
(© 2008) Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn. Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. Available online at http://www.lpch.org/DiseaseHealthInfo/HealthLibrary/hrnewborn/hdn.html. Accessed October 2008.
(© 1995-2012). Test ID: DCTM9008 Direct Coombs, Blood. Mayo Clinic Mayo Medical Laboratories [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Overview/9008. Accessed July 2012.
Devkota, B. (Updated 2012 May 25). Direct Antiglobulin Test. Medscape Reference [On-line information]. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2105623-overview#showall. Accessed July 2012.
Wagle, S. and Deshpande, P. (Updated 2011 May 18). Hemolytic Disease of Newborn. Medscape Reference [On-line information]. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/974349-overview. Accessed July 2012.
Vorvick, L. (Updated 2012 February 7). Coombs’ test. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003344.htm. Accessed July 2012.
Zieve, D. and Eltz, D. (Updated 2011 August 30). Rh incompatibility. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001600.htm. Accessed July 2012.
(© 1996-2012). Rh Disease. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.chop.edu/healthinfo/rh-disease.html. Accessed July 2012.
Pagana, K. D. & Pagana, T. J. (© 2011). Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference 10th Edition: Mosby, Inc., Saint Louis, MO. Pp 307-308.
AABB Technical Manual, Pg 512. AABB, Bethesda, MD.
Henry’s Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 22nd ed. McPherson R, Pincus M, eds. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier: 2011, Pp 712-715.
(Oct 29, 2014) Schick P. Hemolytic Anemia Workup. Medscape Reference. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/201066-workup#c13. Accessed October 2015.
(March 21, 2014) National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Types of Hemolytic Anemia. Available online at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ha/types. Accessed October 2015.
Ask a Laboratory Scientist
