A hemolytic transfusion reaction is a serious problem that occurs after a patient receives a transfusion of blood. The red blood cells that were given to the patient are destroyed by the patient's own immune system.
Alternative NamesBlood transfusion reaction
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsBlood is classified into different blood types called A, B, AB, and O.
The immune system normally can tell its own blood cells from blood cells from another person. If other blood cells enter your body, your immune system may make antibodies again them. These antibodies will work to destroy the blood cells that the body does not recognize. For example, a person with type A blood makes antibodies against type B blood cells.
Another way blood cells may be classified is by Rh factors. People who have Rh factors in their blood are called "Rh positive." People without these factors are called "Rh negative." Rh negative people form antibodies against Rh factor if they receive Rh positive blood.
There are also other factors to identify blood cells, in addition to ABO and Rh.
Blood that you receive in a transfusion must be compatible. Being compatible means that your body will not form antibodies against the blood you receive. Blood transfusion between compatible groups (such as O+ to O+) usually causes no problem. Blood transfusion between incompatible groups (such as A+ to O-) causes an immune response. This can lead to a very serious transfusion reaction. The immune system attacks the donated blood cells, causing them to burst.
Today, all blood is carefully screened. Modern lab methods and many checks have helped make these transfusion reactions very rare.
SymptomsSymptoms of transfusion reaction usually appear during or right after the transfusion. Sometimes, they may develop after several days (delayed reaction).
Signs and testsThis disease may change the results of these tests:
Therapy can prevent or treat the severe effects of a hemolytic transfusion reaction. If symptoms occur during the transfusion, the transfusion is stopped immediately. Blood samples from the person getting the transfusion and from the donor may be tested to tell whether symptoms are being caused by a transfusion reaction.
Mild symptoms may be treated with the following:
The outcome depends on the severity of the reaction. The disorder may disappear without problems. Or, it may be severe and life threatening.
ComplicationsTell your health care provider if you are having a blood transfusion and you have had a reaction before.
PreventionDonated blood is put into ABO and Rh groups to reduce the risk of transfusion reaction.
Before a transfusion, patient and donor blood is tested (crossmatched) to see if it is compatible. A small amount of donor blood is mixed with a small amount of patient blood. The mixture is checked under a microscope for signs of antibody reaction.
Before the transfusion is given, the health care provider will usually check again to make sure you are receiving the right unit of blood.
ReferencesGoodnough L. Transfusion medicine. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 183.
A hemolytic transfusion reaction is a serious problem that occurs after a patient receives a transfusion of blood. The red blood cells that were given to the patient are destroyed by the patient's immune system.
There are other types of allergic transfusion reactions that do not cause hemolysis.
Alternative NamesBlood transfusion reaction
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsBlood is classified into different blood types called A, B, AB, and O.
Your immune system can usually tell its own blood cells from blood cells from another person. If other blood cells enter your body, your immune system may make antibodies against them. These antibodies will work to destroy the blood cells that your immune system does not recognize.
Another way blood cells may be classified is by Rh factors. People who have Rh factors in their blood are called "Rh positive." People without these factors are called "Rh negative." Rh negative people form antibodies against Rh factor if they receive Rh positive blood.
There are also other factors to identify blood cells, in addition to ABO and Rh.
Blood that you receive in a transfusion must be compatible with your own blood. Being compatible means that your body will not form antibodies against the blood you receive.
Blood transfusion between compatible groups (such as O+ to O+) usually causes no problem. Blood transfusion between incompatible groups (such as A+ to O-) causes an immune response. This can lead to a very serious transfusion reaction. The immune system attacks the donated blood cells, causing them to burst.
Today, all blood is carefully screened. Modern lab methods and many checks have helped make these transfusion reactions very rare.
SymptomsSymptoms of a hemolytic transfusion reaction usually appear during or right after the transfusion. Sometimes, they may develop after several days (delayed reaction).
Signs and testsThis disease may change the results of these tests:
Therapy can prevent or treat the severe effects of a hemolytic transfusion reaction. If symptoms occur during the transfusion, the transfusion must be stopped immediately. Blood samples from the person getting the transfusion and from the donor may be tested to tell whether symptoms are being caused by a transfusion reaction.
Mild symptoms may be treated with the following:
The outcome depends on the severity of the reaction. The disorder may disappear without problems. Or, it may be severe and life threatening.
ComplicationsTell your health care provider if you are having a blood transfusion and you have had a reaction before.
PreventionDonated blood is put into ABO and Rh groups to reduce the risk of transfusion reaction.
Before a transfusion, patient and donor blood are tested (crossmatched) to see if they are compatible with each other. A small amount of donor blood is mixed with a small amount of patient blood. The mixture is checked under a microscope for signs of antibody reaction.
Before the transfusion is given, the health care provider will usually check again to make sure you are receiving the right unit of blood.
ReferencesGoodnough L. Transfusion medicine. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 183.
Wu YY, Mantha S, Snyder EL. Transfusion reactions. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ Jr., Shattil SJ, et al, eds. Hoffman Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2008:chap 153.
Reviewed ByReview Date: 02/28/2011
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
After an operation, many patients need a blood transfusion.
D test is basically a serological test used to detect weak antigens (D antigen of Rh system) to prevent any transfusion mediated reaction in the recipient.
I survived many years ago by getting a blood transfusion.
The word transfusion is often used when referring to blood. When you get a blood transfusion, blood is being transferred to you from someone else. An infusion is when something is added to something. For example when you add garlic to olive oil, you infuse the olive oil with garlic.
No, you must wait and either have the nurse cancel the test and re-order it later or post-pone the test until the transfusion is complete.
Acute immune hemolytic reaction
These complications may include an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction (AHTR), which is most commonly caused by ABO incompatibility. The patient may complain of pain, difficult breathing, fever and chills, facial flushing, and nausea.
An acute hemolytic transfusion reaction, with possible acute renal failure and death.
Risks associated with autologous blood transfusion include transfusion reaction if an allogeneic blood transfusion was inadvertently given and transmission of infectious agents if the blood became contaminated.
Most severe type, but rare incompatible blood incompatibility in multiple transfusions. Mostlikely to occurs when transfused red cells react with circulating antibody in the recipient with resultant intravascular hemolysis. When a group O patient is mistakenly transfused with group A, B, or AB blood. Patients receiving a major ABO- incompatible marrow or stem cell transplant with sufficient red cell content will likely develop an acute hemolytic reaction. Symptoms are: fever, chills and fever, the feeling of heat along the vein in which the blood is being transfused, pain in the lumbar region, constricting pain in the chest, tachycardia, hypotension, and hemoglobinemia with subsequent hemoglobinuria and hyperbilirubinemia. Prevention: proper identification of patients, pre-transfusion blood samples and blood components at the same time of transfusion.
Yes, although ABO and Rh are the main causes of haemolytic transfusion reactions (HTR's), if a person with an anti-K antibody is transfused with red blood cells which have a kell antigen on their surface, it has been known to cause delayed HTR's through the supression of erythropoiesis. As for haemolytic disease of the newborn, it is thought that anti-K can cause HDN vie anaemia, not jaundice.
Mislabeling of blood specimens can result in hemolytic transfusion reactions from the incompatible blood.
Sometimes problems occur with a blood transfusion, but that is supposed to be rare. Some people can have an allergic reaction to the transfusion.
The blood given by transfusion must be matched with the recipient's blood type. Incompatible blood types can cause a serious adverse reaction (transfusion reaction). Blood is introduced slowly by gravity flow directly into the veins
monitor the treatment
Every blood transfusion carries the risk of allergic reaction, to anaphylactic shock, even if blood type is perfectly matched. If medication was also infused along with the blood, and the patient had an allergic reaction, it would be impossible to tell which sustance was causing the reaction: the blood? or the medication? Remember that every transfusion reaction can be deadly. As well, some meds may break down blood components. Therefore, never inject IV meds into a transfusion tubing or combine medications into a blood transfusion set.
Complement Fixation