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What is a transfusion reaction?
What causes hemolytic transfusion reactions?
What are the different types of transfusion reactions?
Aug 8, 2023 · Reactions can occur during the transfusion (acute transfusion reactions) or days to weeks later (delayed transfusion reactions) and may be immunologic or non-immunologic. A reaction may be difficult to diagnose as it can present with non-specific, often overlapping symptoms.
- Jolee T. Suddock, Kendall P. Crookston
- 2023/08/08
- University of New Mexico
- Overview
- What are transfusion reactions?
- What is the transfusion process?
- Symptoms of a transfusion reaction
- Types of transfusion reactions and their causes
- Lowering your risk for a transfusion reaction
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Takeaway
If the blood type is not a match, you can experience a transfusion reaction. You can also have a transfusion reaction if you receive blood containing infectious microbes, if you experience an allergic reaction, or if you receive too much blood.
Blood transfusions can be lifesaving in cases of blood loss. However, screening donated blood is important to ensure it goes to the right person.
If you’ve experienced severe blood loss or low blood levels, a blood transfusion can help restore the blood you’ve lost.
Also known as a hemolytic transfusion reaction, this routine procedure adds donated blood to your own as long as it’s accurately matched to your blood type.
Your doctor may recommend a blood transfusion if you’ve lost or are not producing enough blood. This can be due to the following:
•illness
•surgery
•cancer
•infection
•burns
Blood transfusion reactions may occur while you’re receiving blood or immediately after. They may also occur hours, days, or weeks later. This is called a delayed transfusion reaction. Transfusion reactions may range in severity from minor to life threatening.
A doctor or nurse will stay with you while you receive the transfusion. They will check your vital signs and watch for symptoms that you may be having a reaction to.
Transfusion reaction symptoms may include:
•back pain
•dark urine
•chills
Febrile non-hemolytic reaction
This is one of the most common types of transfusion reactions. It occurs during or up to 4 hours after a transfusion is completed.
Acute hemolytic reaction
This occurs when antibodies in the recipient’s blood attack the donor’s blood if the two are not compatible. The prevalence of an acute hemolytic reaction from a blood transfusion is approximately 1 in 70,000 transfusions.
Allergic reaction
You can have an allergic reaction to a blood transfusion as well. This occurs when the recipient’s immune system reacts to allergens or antigens in the donor’s blood. This type of transfusion reaction could also progress into a more severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.
Blood banks make every effort to screen and test blood. A sample of recipient blood is often mixed with potential donor blood to ensure compatibility.
Before the blood is given to you, the blood label and your identity will be thoroughly checked. This ensures the doctor or nurse gives the proper blood products to the right recipient.
What is the most common blood transfusion reaction?
The most common blood transfusion reactions are mild allergic and febrile reactions. Reactions like anaphylaxis or sepsis after a transfusion are rarer.
What should I watch for after a blood transfusion?
You should be mindful of signs and symptoms such as fever, chills, rash, hives, respiratory distress, low blood pressure, and red urine.
How long after a blood transfusion can you have a reaction?
A reaction can happen within 24 hours of a transfusion. They can also occur up to a month after a blood transfusion.
Transfusion reactions are not always serious. However, some can be life threatening.
If you or your healthcare professional observes blood transfusion reaction symptoms, the transfusion should be immediately stopped. A laboratory representative should come and draw blood from you and take the donated blood for testing to ensure they were matched appropriately.
- Rachel Nall, MSN, CRNA
Feb 8, 2023 · According to a 2013 article in the British Journal of Haematology, reactions occur due to: the donor blood containing specific plasma proteins that the recipient’s blood sees as allergens. the...
Aug 6, 2024 · Immune-mediated transfusion reactions can be classified as acute or delayed. Prompt recognition of an immune-mediated transfusion reaction is fundamental to improving patient outcome. Acute reactions occur within 24 hours of transfusion and include acute haemolytic, febrile non-haemolytic, allerg...
Mar 15, 2023 · Acute transfusion reactions present as adverse signs or symptoms during or within 24 hours of a blood transfusion. The most frequent reactions are fever, chills, pruritus, or urticaria,...
May 19, 2022 · The most frequent transfusion reactions in 2020 were alloimmunizations, febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions and allergic transfusion reactions. Transfusion-related acute lung injury, transfusion-associated circulatory overload and septic transfusion reactions were less frequent.
Dec 3, 2016 · Transfusion reactions are usually reported to the physician by the nurse administering the blood product and often cause a change in vital signs or a new symptom. 9 The algorithm summarises the initial clinical assessment of a patient having a transfusion reaction (figure 2).
