OBJECTIVES To assess the transfusion practice in the intensive care unit (ICU) in a general hospital in Kuwait relative to indications, pretransfusion hemoglobin, red blood cell (RBC) use and outcome. SUBJECTS AND METHODS 475 patients were admitted to the ICU during the study period (January 2009 to February 2010). Ninety-nine received RBC transfusion. Demographic, clinical and transfusion da...

Atypical lymphocytes (ATL) appear in the circulation of a large proportion of patients during the first week following a blood transfusion. In order to determine the source of these ATL, cytogenetic studies were performed on the peripheral blood leukocytes of ten adult patients who received fresh blood from donors of the opposite sex. Nine of the ten patients had spontaneously dividing mononucl...

BACKGROUND Hyperhemolytic Syndrome or Hyperhemolytic Transfusion Reaction (HHTR), a life-threatening subset of Delayed Hemolytic Transfusion Reaction (DHTR) is characterized by destruction of both transfused and autologous erythrocytes evidenced by a fall in post transfusion hemoglobin below the pre-transfusion level. CASE REPORT We describe a case of DHTR due to anti-P1 alloimmunization mani...

Madam, Transfusion of blood products is a life rescuing medical intermediation; however, associated adverse transfusion reactions are major pitfalls. Transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO) life-threatening pulmonary oedema that develops secondary to volume overload. Underlying precipitating factors include ages >60 years or <3 years, low body mass index (BMI), rapid rate and p...

INTRODUCTION The use of human recombinant activated protein C (rhAPC) for the treatment of severe sepsis remains controversial despite multiple reported trials. The efficacy of rhAPC remains a matter of dispute. We hypothesized that patients with septic shock who were treated with rhAPC had an improved in-hospital mortality compared to patients with septic shock with similar acuity who did not ...