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Transfusion reaction

Last reviewed: 5 Oct 2024
Last updated: 06 Aug 2024

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • chills
  • flushing
  • dyspnea
  • fever
  • chest, abdominal, flank, and back pain
  • hypotension
  • bleeding from mucous membranes, GI tract, or urinary tract
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • headache
  • nausea and vomiting
  • anxiety
  • pain along the infused extremity
  • pruritus
  • urticaria
  • angioedema
  • jaundice
  • rales
  • red urine
  • stridor or bronchospasm
  • pallor
  • maculopapular rash
  • diarrhea
  • disseminated purpura
  • exfoliative dermatitis with mucocutaneous involvement
Full details

Risk factors

  • prior pregnancy
  • previous transfusion
  • history of transplantation
  • IgA deficiency
  • immunocompromise
  • history of transfusion reaction
Full details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • direct antiglobulin test
  • visual inspection of post-transfusion blood sample
  • repeat ABO testing on post-transfusion blood sample
  • post-transfusion urinalysis
Full details

Tests to consider

  • serum IgA levels
  • anti-IgA antibody testing
  • serum tryptase level
  • serum alloantibody screen
  • serum LDH
  • serum bilirubin
  • gram stain and culture of component and post-transfusion recipient samples
  • biopsy of skin, gut or liver
  • HLA typing
  • platelet antibody screen
  • serum haptoglobin
  • serum potassium
  • serum bicarbonate
  • serum calcium
  • serum creatinine
  • CBC
  • D-dimer
  • PT and PTT
  • chest x-ray
  • arterial blood gas
Full details

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

acute transfusion reaction

ONGOING

delayed transfusion reaction

Contributors

Authors

Jordan A. Weinberg, MD, FACS

Associate Professor of Surgery

Creighton University School of Medicine

St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center

Phoenix

AZ

Disclosures

JAW declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Christoph Pechlaner, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine

Innsbruck Medical University

Innsbruck

Austria

Disclosures

CP declares that he has no competing interests.

Marisa Marques, MD

Professor of Pathology

University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital

Birmingham

AL

Disclosures

MM declares that she has no competing interests.

  • Differentials

    • Transfusion-associated sepsis
    • Nonimmune-mediated hemolysis
    • Transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO)
    More Differentials
  • Guidelines

    • Guidelines on the investigation and management of acute transfusion reactions
    • Canadian Blood Services clinical guide to transfusion​
    More Guidelines
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