Promoting recognition and prevention of transfusion-related acute lung injury.

CRITICALCARENURSE Vol 27, No. 4, AUGUST 2007 49 transfusion-related death in the United States, surpassing deaths caused by ABO incompatibility and bacterial contamination. The actual incidence of TRALI remains unknown in the United States; however, with improved recognition, the number of cases of TRALI reported in the literature has increased significantly since the initial case series was reported in 1985. Nevertheless, much about this clinical syndrome that may complicate blood transfusions remains poorly understood, and TRALI remains an important topic of research in transfusion medicine. In 2006, the AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) assembled a TRALI task force to develop recommendations for the prevention of TRALI. This article is a summary of AABB actions on TRALI and includes a summary of the recommendations made by the AABB task force.