Open AccessSide‐effects of blood products
Author(s) -
Sachs U. J. H.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
isbt science series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1751-2824
pISSN - 1751-2816
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-2824.2010.01412.x
Subject(s) - medicine , intensive care medicine , sepsis , blood transfusion , abo blood group system , transfusion related acute lung injury , adverse effect , surgery , immunology , lung , pulmonary edema
As infectious complications from blood transfusion have decreased because of sophisticated blood screening, non‐infectious side‐effects have emerged as the most common complications of transfusion in industrialized countries. Despite making every endeavour, quite a number of these side‐effects are very difficult to control. Some of these side‐effects present as acute transfusion reactions, the most important of which are transfusion‐related acute lung injury, circulatory overload, sepsis, and allergic and anaphylactic reactions. Acute adverse events require immediate action, but are often difficult to evaluate. On the other hand, transfusion recipients may experience delayed non‐infectious side effects, including, non‐ABO haemolytic transfusion reactions, graft‐versus‐host disease, and post‐transfusion purpura. In addition, a not well‐defined risk of increased mortality following blood transfusion has been recognized. Some aspects regarding the clinical presentation, the physiology behind, and possible preventive measures are summarized here.