Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Transfusion Reactions

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Oncologic Critical Care

  • 127 Accesses

Abstract

The use of altruistic donors, the testing for known infectious agents, and other measures have made blood a very safe product. Thus the risk of acquiring an infectious agent by transfusion of blood components has been largely reduced, and the greatest risk in morbidity and mortality following transfusion of blood is due mostly to its noninfectious complications. Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) and transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO) are the most commonly reported causes of mortality involving transfusion of blood. Other transfusion reactions such as mild allergic reactions and febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions are not lethal but are very common and may produce discomfort and anxiety in the patient.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 949.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 1,299.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Berseus O, Boman K, Nessen SC, Westerberg LA. Risks of hemolysis due to anti-A and anti-B caused by the transfusion of blood or blood components containing ABO-incompatible plasma. Transfusion. 2013;53(Suppl 1):114S–23S.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Cid J. Prevention of transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease with pathogen-reduced platelets with amotosalen and ultraviolet A light: a review. Vox Sang. 2017;112:607–13.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Crookston KP, Delaney M. In: Crookston KP, Delaney M, editors. Blood transfusion therapy: a physician’s handbook. Bethesda: AABB; 2017. p. 221–47.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Cyr M, Hume HA, Champagne M, Sweeney JD, Blais C Jr, Gervais N, Adam A. Anomaly of the des-Arg9-bradykinin metabolism associated with severe hypotensive reactions during blood transfusions: a preliminary study. Transfusion. 1999;39:1084–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Davenport RD, Burdick M, Moore SA, Kunkel SL. Cytokine production in IgG-mediated red cell incompatibility. Transfusion. 1993;33:19–24.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Driscoll DF, Bistrian BR, Jenkins RL, Randall S, Dzik WH, Gerson B, Blackburn GL. Development of metabolic alkalosis after massive transfusion during orthotopic liver transplantation. Crit Care Med. 1987;15:905–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Dunbar NM, Walsh SJ, Maynard KJ, Szczepiorkowski ZM. Transfusion reaction reporting in the era of hemovigilance: where form meets function. Transfusion. 2011;51:2583–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Dzik WH, Kirkley SA. Citrate toxicity during massive blood transfusion. Transfus Med Rev. 1988;2:76–94.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Eder AF, Kennedy JM, Dy BA, Notari EP, Weiss JW, Fang CT, Wagner S, Dodd RY, Benjamin RJ, American Red Cross Regional Blood, C. Bacterial screening of apheresis platelets and the residual risk of septic transfusion reactions: the American Red Cross experience (2004–2006). Transfusion. 2007;47:1134–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Flegel WA. Pathogenesis and mechanisms of antibody-mediated hemolysis. Transfusion. 2015;55 Suppl 2(0):S47–58.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Geiger TL, Howard SC. Acetaminophen and diphenhydramine premedication for allergic and febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions: good prophylaxis or bad practice? Transfus Med Rev. 2007;21:1–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Hod E, Savage WJ. In: Eder AF, Fung MK, Spitalnik S, Westhoff CM, editors. Technical manual 19th edition. AABB; 2017. p. 569–98.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Heddle NM, Klama L, Singer J, Richards C, Fedak P, Walker I, Kelton JG. The role of the plasma from platelet concentrates in transfusion reactions. N Engl J Med. 1994;331:625–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Hillyer CD, Josephson CD, Blajchman MA, Vostal JG, Epstein JS, Goodman J L. Bacterial contamination of blood components: risks, strategies, and regulation: joint ASH and AABB educational session in transfusion medicine. Hematol Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2003;575–89.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Hoffbrand AV, Cohen A, Hershko C. Role of deferiprone in chelation therapy for transfusional iron overload. Blood. 2003;102:17–24.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Janssen MP, Van Tilborgh AJW, De Vooght KMK, Bokhorst AG, Wiersum-Osselton JC. Direct costs of transfusion reactions – an expert judgement approach. Vox Sang. 2018;113:143–51.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kaufman RM, Assmann SF, Triulzi DJ, Strauss RG, Ness P, Granger S, Slichter SJ. Transfusion-related adverse events in the Platelet Dose study. Transfusion. 2015;55:144–53.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Kleinman S, Chan P, Robillard P. Risks associated with transfusion of cellular blood components in Canada. Transfus Med Rev. 2003;17:120–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Kleinman S, Caulfield T, Chan P, Davenport R, McFarland J, McPhedran S, Meade M, Morrison D, Pinsent T, Robillard P, Slinger P. Toward an understanding of transfusion-related acute lung injury: statement of a consensus panel. Transfusion. 2004;44:1774–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Kohan AI, Niborski RC, Rey JA, Amerise G, Vazquez MI, Zani N, Calahonra R, Binaghi A, Sanchez Avalos J. High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin in non-ABO transfusion incompatibility. Vox Sang. 1994;67:195–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Linden JV, Pisciotto PT. Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease and blood irradiation. Transfus Med Rev. 1992;6:116–23.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Moroff G, Leitman SF, Luban NL. Principles of blood irradiation, dose validation, and quality control. Transfusion. 1997;37:1084–92.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Narick C, Triulzi DJ, Yazer MH. Transfusion-associated circulatory overload after plasma transfusion. Transfusion. 2012;52:160–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Sapiano MRP, Savinkina AA, Ellingson KD, Haass KA, Baker ML, Henry RA, Berger JJ, Kuehnert MJ, Basavaraju SV. Supplemental findings from the National Blood Collection and Utilization Surveys, 2013 and 2015. Transfusion. 2017;57:1599–624.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Shivdasani RA, Haluska FG, Dock NL, Dover JS, Kineke EJ, Anderson KC. Brief report: graft-versus-host disease associated with transfusion of blood from unrelated HLA-homozygous donors. N Engl J Med. 1993;328:766–70.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Shtalrid M, Shvidel L, Vorst E, Weinmann EE, Berrebi A, Sigler E. Post-transfusion purpura: a challenging diagnosis. Isr Med Assoc J. 2006;8:672–4.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Stowell SR, Winkler AM, Maier CL, Arthur CM, Smith NH, Girard-Pierce KR, Cummings RD, Zimring JC, Hendrickson JE. Initiation and regulation of complement during hemolytic transfusion reactions. Clin Dev Immunol. 2012;2012:307093.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Tobian AA, King KE, Ness PM. Transfusion premedications: a growing practice not based on evidence. Transfusion. 2007;47:1089–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Tobian AA, Fuller AK, Uglik K, Tisch DJ, Borge PD, Benjamin RJ, Ness PM, King KE. The impact of platelet additive solution apheresis platelets on allergic transfusion reactions and corrected count increment (CME). Transfusion. 2014;54:1523–9.. quiz 1522

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2018. The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) manual: biovigilance components v2.5. [Online]. Atlanta: Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. Available:. http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/Biovigilance/BV-HV-protocol-current.pdf. Accessed 07 Dec 2018.

  31. US Food and Drug Administration. Fatalities reported to FDA following blood collection and transfusion: annual summary for Fiscal year 2016. [Online]. 2016. Available: https://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/ReportaProblem/TransfusionDonationFatalities/UCM598243.pdf. Accessed 22 Apr 2018.

  32. Wang RR, Triulzi DJ, Qu L. Effects of prestorage vs poststorage leukoreduction on the rate of febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions to platelets. Am J Clin Pathol. 2012;138(2):255–9. https://doi.org/10.1309/AJCP5H7EKZTGGBKZ. PubMed PMID: 22904138.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Adriana Maria Knopfelmacher

Authors
  1. Adriana Maria Knopfelmacher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Critical Care and Respiratory Care, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Joseph L. Nates

  2. Division of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Department of Critical Care and Respiratory Care, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Kristen J. Price

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Knopfelmacher, A.M. (2020). Transfusion Reactions. In: Nates, J., Price, K. (eds) Oncologic Critical Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74588-6_107

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74588-6_107

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-74587-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-74588-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation