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Haemovigilance in a general university hospital: need for a more comprehensive classification and a codification of transfusion‐related events
Author(s) -
Siegenthaler M. A.,
Schneider P.,
Vu D.H.,
Tissot J.D.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
vox sanguinis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.68
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1423-0410
pISSN - 0042-9007
DOI - 10.1111/j.1423-0410.2005.00559.x
Subject(s) - medicine , incidence (geometry) , fresh frozen plasma , blood transfusion , plasma volume , university hospital , retrospective cohort study , pediatrics , emergency medicine , platelet , intensive care medicine , surgery , physics , optics
Background and Objectives The purpose of this study was to analyse the transfusion‐related events recorded in a general university hospital. Materials and Methods The method we used was retrospective analysis of the data collected between 1999 and 2003. Results The incidence of transfusion reactions ( n = 394) was 4·19 per 1000 blood products distributed: 59% ( n = 231) were febrile non‐haemolytic transfusion reactions; 22% ( n = 88) were caused by allergy; 5% ( n = 21) were caused by bacterial infection; and 14% ( n = 54) were classified as other reactions. Platelet concentrates gave rise to a significantly greater number of reactions than erythrocyte concentrates and fresh‐frozen plasma. Transfusion errors and near‐miss events were also observed and were analysed separately. A series of transfusion‐related events, such as haemosiderosis, metabolic disturbances or volume overload, were not reported. Conclusions Our experience prompts us to propose a more comprehensive classification and codification of transfusion‐related events.