American Board of Surgery Qualifying Exam (ABS QE) Practice Test 2026 - Free Surgery Exam Practice Questions and Study Guide

Donor Specific Antibody (DSA) is a critical marker in the context of organ transplantation. Its primary significance lies in its ability to indicate the strength of the antibody response against antigens specific to a transplanted organ from a particular donor. When a recipient develops DSA, it suggests that their immune system is recognizing the donor's specific antigens as foreign and is therefore mounting an immune response.

Higher levels of DSA can correlate with a greater risk of antibody-mediated rejection, which can lead to transplant failure. Therefore, measuring the level of DSA is essential for monitoring transplant recipients, as it helps determine the immunologic compatibility between donor and recipient. Understanding DSA levels allows healthcare providers to tailor immunosuppressive therapy to minimize the risk of organ rejection while balancing the risk of infection, since immunosuppression can also increase susceptibility to infections. This makes the assessment of DSA a cornerstone in the management of transplanted patients.