BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion after traumatic injury can result in microchimerism (MC) of donor white cells (WBCs) in the recipient as late as 2 to 3 years postinjury, the longest prospective follow-up to date. The purpose of this study was to determine how long transfusion-associated MC lasts after traumatic injury. STUDY ...

BACKGROUND: Over the past decades, the weight of the published literature demonstrates that blood transfusions can induce clinically significant immunosuppression in recipients. Several studies showed significant improved clinical outcomes in the patients receiving leukoreduced transfusions, compared with control patients who received nonleukoreduced transfusions. Moreover, the immunosuppressive potential of blood products ...

In 1868 Charles Darwin proposed Pangenesis, a developmental theory of heredity. He suggested that all cells in an organism are capable of shedding minute particles he called gemmules, which are able to circulate throughout the body and finally congregate in the gonads. These particles are then transmitted to the next ...

Blood component therapy is a very common intervention practiced in newborns; nearly 85% of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) babies get transfusions during their hospital stay. However, there are no set guidelines for transfusion of blood component therapy in newborns. This protocol includes available types of blood components, their methods ...

Fetal and neonatal medicine is a field with many new procedures and techniques. An increasing number of centres worldwide give intrauterine transfusions, which are considered to be standard-of-care treatment for severe fetal anaemia. The survival of very prematurely born neonates, in particular of a gestational age of <28 weeks, has ...

Even though the supply of blood products has never been safer, disease transmission remains the chief patient concern about transfusions. The primary concerns for anesthetists center on risks associated with blood transfusions, such as transfusion-related acute lung injury, anaphylactic transfusion reaction, clerical errors resulting in ABO incompatibility, and blood products ...

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a severe complication of monozygotic (identical) twin fetuses sharing one single (monochorionic) placenta. TTTS is caused by a net inter-twin transfusion of blood through placental anastomoses, from one twin (the donor) to the other (the recipient), which link the two feto-placental circulations. Currently, the only ...

BACKGROUND: Inactivation of pathogens and white blood cells in platelet (PLT) components with amotosalen and UVA light (INTERCEPT, Cerus Europe BV) has entered clinical practice in European blood centers. A prospective cohort study was implemented to characterize the safety profile of this new PLT component in a broad patient population. ...

BACKGROUND: To transfuse blood products safely, health care workers must accurately identify patients, blood samples, and the blood components. A comprehensive bar code-based computerized tracking system was developed and implemented to identify and prevent transfusion errors. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A data network, wireless devices, and bar-coded labels were pilot ...

BACKGROUND: In the 20th century, blood transfusion has become an indispensable therapy in carrying out and improving many medical and surgical applications. Its scope of influence goes well beyond that of medicine, because blood donation, an action with high social significance, is completely connected to progress in the field. STUDY ...

Alloimmunization is a common phenomenon after transfusion, with an estimated incidence of 0.5% increasing to 20-60% in chronically transfused patients. In recently transfused patients, serological typing can be hampered by mixed field agglutination. We established RT-PCR methods for RHD, RHC/c and RHE/e typing using mRNA from reticulocytes. Molecular typing was ...

In developing countries as many as 50% of patients for whom a transfusion is indicated are at risk of dying immediately if transfusion is withheld. It is therefore important that blood transfusion is made as safe as possible. This study was designed to assess the safety of blood transfusion in ...

Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema caused by transfusion has been observed for almost 60 years. Today, we know this entity as transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). TRALI is an uncommon but potentially fatal adverse reaction to transfusion of plasma-containing blood components. It is typified by dyspnea, cough, hypoxemia, and pulmonary edema within ...

Factors that predict outcome after ABO-incompatible RBC transfusions are not well defined. We studied whether the volume of incompatible blood transfused would determine the signs and symptoms and survival outcome for ABO-incompatible RBC transfusions. We reviewed ABO-incompatible RBC transfusions from our institutions and our consultations for 35 years and from ...

The HIV/AIDS disaster in transfusion medicine shaped the future agendas for blood transfusion safety. More than ever before, the implementation of interventions which could improve blood transfusion safety was driven merely by availability of technology. The introduction of new expensive technologies guided by the precautionary principle created continuously rising costs ...

Transfusion-related lung injury (TRALI) is the leading cause of mortality following transfusion of blood products. Despite increasing awareness, the condition often remains unrecognised and therefore underreported. A 28-year-old with moderate preeclampsia had a post-partum haemorrhage following emergency caesarean section. Shortly after receiving three units of packed red cells she went ...

Blood products are frequently required immediately prior to, during, or just after an apheresis procedure. Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is now the leading cause of transfusion-related mortality, surpassing ABO-incompatible hemolytic reactions. The reported incidence of TRALI varies but is estimated at 1 in 5,000 transfusions. The true incidence could ...

A 16-year-old Hodgkin lymphoma patient refuses to have his blood specimen drawn, thus canceling his scheduled oncologic treatment. As a 16-year-old, he has no legal standing as an adult. His parents are split over his decision. One supports his right to choose; the other wishes the specimen to be drawn ...

Clinical trials in a number of countries are now underway to evaluate experimental, non-human blood substitute. One scenario calls for the blood substitute to be available on board emergency vehicles. This allows first responders the opportunity to provide transfusion support at an accident site and on the way to the ...

Patients with gastrointestinal (GI) haemorrhage use 13.8% of all red blood cell transfusions in England. This review addresses the evidence for red blood cell, fresh frozen plasma and platelet transfusions in acute and chronic blood loss, from both the upper and lower intestinal tract. It reviews the indications for transfusion ...

A medication error resulted in two kittens being treated with azathioprine (12 and 12.5 mg/kg) instead of azithromycin for 2 weeks. On clinical examination, the kittens were febrile, weak, and had oronasal hemorrhage. Complete blood cell counts indicated severe bone marrow suppression. Treatment consisted of multiple transfusions, antibiotics, and granulocyte ...

Transfusion-related acute lung injury is a life-threatening clinical syndrome. In the last 3 years, it has become the leading cause of reported transfusion-related deaths in the United States. This syndrome is characterized by acute hypoxemia and noncardiogenic pulmonary edema directly linked in time to a blood transfusion. All types of ...

BACKGROUND: The identification of transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) by blood transfusion has prompted investigation to establish whether there has been any alteration in the vCJD agent following this route of secondary transmission. Any increase in virulence or host adaptation would require a reassessment of the risk analyses relating ...

Blood transfusion therapy in the 21st century continues to present limitations regarding efficacy and risks. Blood management partners optimal blood transfusion therapy with anemia management that incorporates nonblood strategies and techniques. A planned approach to anemia prevention, identification, and treatment can reduce the need for blood transfusion and improve patient ...

Anaphylactic reactions to blood transfusion can lead to life-threatening cardiovascular disruptions. We describe a case in which anaphylaxis due to blood transfusion during general anesthesia was the probable cause of coronary artery spasm. Thirty minutes after the transfusion of concentrated red blood cells, the patient's blood pressure had dropped to ...

Transfusion-related acute lung injury is emerging as a common cause of transfusion-related adverse events. However, awareness about this entity in the medical fraternity is low and it, consequently, remains a very under-reported and often an under-diagnosed complication of transfusion therapy. We report a case of a 46-year old woman who ...

Canadian surgeons serving in the Canadian Army Medical Corps in the First World War were responsible for introducing transfusion in the management of war casualties to the British Army. They were uniquely placed to do so by a coincidence of circumstances. They were aware of developments occurring in the field ...

Clinical trials in a number of countries are now underway to evaluate experimental, non-human blood substitute. One scenario calls for the blood substitute to be available on board emergency vehicles. This allows first responders the opportunity to provide transfusion support at an accident site and on the way to the ...

Spongiform encephalopathies have been reported to be transmitted by blood transfusion even prior to the clinical onset. Experimental AA-amyloidosis shows similarities with prion disease and amyloid-containing organ-extracts can prime a recipient for the disease. In this systemic form of amyloidosis N-terminal fragments of the acute-phase reactant apolipoprotein serum amyloid A ...

BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion has always been an important route for Chagas Disease (CD) transmission. The high prevalence of CD in Latin America and its lifelong asymptomatic clinical picture pose a threat for the safety of the blood supply. The outcome of measures designed to improve transfusion safety can be assessed ...

PURPOSE: Massive blood transfusion induces hemolysis and increases polymorphonuclear leukocyte elastase (PMNE) concentration. The purpose of this study was to compare hemolysis and PMNE concentrations in massive blood transfusions with three different preparations. METHODS: In an in vitro study, eight 2-day-old packs of concentrated red blood cells in mannitol, adenine, ...

A 48-year-old man, on acenocoumarol due to past aortic valve replacement, was referred to our emergency department for left thoracic pain, progressive dyspnea and fatigue gradually worsening over the past 24 hours. Thirty-one days ago he had suffered from left rib fractures due to a fall, while 15 days ago ...

Neonatal transfusions provide challenges at several steps in the process. Neonates are often transfused with relatively small volumes at slow flow rates from syringes,whereas at other times they require relatively massive transfusions or exchange transfusions. To facilitate these specialized transfusions, blood banks often modify their procedures to provide small volumes ...

Delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction (DHTR), a life-threatening transfusion complication in sickle cell disease (SCD), is characterized by a marked hemoglobin drop with destruction of both transfused and autologous red blood cells (RBCs) and exacerbation of SCD symptoms. One mechanism of RBCs destruction is auto-antibody production secondary to transfusion. As rituximab ...

The EU optimal blood use project (EUOBUP) is co-funded by the European Commission and led by the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS). Its purpose is to develop, evaluate and disseminate a manual that provides practical guidance and support for those seeking to improve the safety of the clinical transfusion ...

Acute onset of dyspnea, fever, hypotension, and cough during or soon after a blood or blood-product transfusion has been described in the literature since the early 1950s. Between 2003 and 2005, transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) surpassed ABO incompatibility as the number one cause of transfusion-related mortality in the United ...

Until recently, the authors' facility used a gravity-flow administration set for blood transfusions. This precluded using peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) for transfusions. A peripheral catheter was placed in these patients when transfusions were required. The goal of this project was to demonstrate that administration of blood products with an ...

Blood transfusion has become an essential component of modern medical practice. However, worldwide epidemics of viral diseases - in particular, HIV/AIDS - have made the practice of blood transfusion therapy hazardous, motivating scientists to devise techniques and strategies to ensure the supply of safe blood and blood components for clinical ...

In order to investigate the impact of blood residues on the end quality of exsanguinated and unbled farmed turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), meat quality was evaluated using mechanical, sensory, and computer imaging techniques. The results show that exsanguination is important for improving the visual appearance, and the blood residue could be ...

beta-thalassemia is considered a severe, progressive anemia, which needs regular transfusions for life expectancy. One of the most important complications of regular blood transfusions may be alloimmunization, which increases the need for transfusion. This study was performed to investigate the production of red cell alloantibodies in beta-thalassemia patients in Shiraz, ...

Transfusion-related (TR)- acute lung injury (ALI) is the leading cause of transfusion-related morbidity and mortality. The pathogenesis of TRALI is thought to be a "two hit"-entity: the "first hit" is (any) proinflammatory pulmonary condition (e.g., pneumonia, sepsis or lung contusion) resulting in activation of lung endothelium with sequestration of polymorphonuclear ...

Alexander Bogdanov was a Russian physician and polymath, a founder of Bolshevism who was later excluded from the party because he was unwilling to see communism ossify into dogma. He saw blood transfusion not only as replacement therapy, but also as a body stimulant and set out to demonstrate its ...

Blood transfusion is a newly recognized cause of microchimerism, the stable persistence of a minor population of allogeneic cells. Relatively recent advances in polymerase chain reaction technology have spawned new information about the frequency and aetiology of transfusion-associated microchimerism (TA-MC). Although conceptually related to fetal-maternal microchimerism, TA-MC is a distinct ...

Blood transfusions are a relatively common occurrence after performing any percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Although guidelines for blood transfusion have been previously specified, retrospective analysis of transfusion practices have suggested that these guidelines are rarely applied. We describe a model for the application of a continuous quality improvement program including ...

The aim of this study was to identify ultrasonographic findings that show the normal faecal-impacted appendix, in order to avoid unnecessary surgery via a misdiagnosis of acute appendicitis. Of 160 patients who underwent ultrasonography between January 2004 and July 2005 for right lower quadrant pain, 22 cases (including 7 cases ...

A 23-year-old male received multiple blood transfusions following complicated thoracic surgery. He developed progressive haemorrhagic shock and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Blood cultures grew Yersinia enterocolitica. The patient was proven negative for Yersinia enterocolitica; however, one of the donors was found to be positive. Although strict selection of blood transfusion ...

: Early benefits from transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMR) may be related to acute sympathetic denervation. This study hypothesized that TMR as an adjunct to off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) would improve myocardial runoff in the TMR-treated regions and increase graft flow. : Graft blood flow was measured in 145 consecutive ...

Introduction: Inappropriate blood transfusion has been reported from all over the world. Objectives: This survey examined the use of blood and blood products in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital with a view of assessing appropriateness of transfusion, so as to suggest ways of minimizing inappropriate transfusion if they occur. Materials and ...

BACKGROUND: Preoperative transfusions are frequently given to prevent morbidity in nonpregnant patients with sickle cell disease. We describe a case of a life-threatening delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction with hyperhemolysis syndrome in pregnancy. CASE: A multigravida with sickle cell disease underwent prophylactic blood transfusion before repeat cesarean delivery. Her immediate postpartum ...

BACKGROUND: Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD) is a fatal complication of transfusion of blood products that usually affects immunocompromised patients. Articles reporting this condition in immunocompetent recipients are usually from countries that still have problems in irradiation of blood products. CASE REPORTS: This report presents fatal TA-GVHD in four immunocompetent patients ...