BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of autoantibodies with mimicking specificity by using the dilution technique, to assess the usefulness of the combination of the dilution technique and red blood cell (RBC) phenotyping, and to establish a pre-transfusion testing algorithm in patients with warm autoantibodies. METHODS Serum samples from 71 patients with warm aut...

OBJECTIVES To examine whether a liver transplant patient, who was not taking an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and developed two episodes of hypotension with systolic pressure in the 50s within minutes of starting an RBC transfusion, may have had a disturbance in the production and metabolism of bradykinin and des-Arg(9)-BK. METHODS All patient information was obtained by reviewing t...

The Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) UK confidential haemovigilance reporting scheme began in 1996. Over the 16 years of reporting, the evidence gathered has prompted changes in transfusion practice from the selection and management of donors to changes in hospital practice, particularly better education and training. However, half or more reports relate to errors in the transfusion proces...

Transfusion of blood and blood components is a common practice in obstetric wards but it is not without risk. The incidence of transfusion reactions varies from 4 in every hundred transfusions for non-haemolytic reactions to one in every 40,000 for haemolytic transfusion reactions. The physiological basis of blood transfusion is outlined in this article. Most of the donated blood is processed i...

The risks of transfusion remain significant. Familiarity with the incidence, etiology, management, and prevention of commonly encountered transfusion reactions is integral to the practice of transfusion medicine. This review intends to serve as a practical guide reflecting the current understanding of adverse transfusion events, clinical features helpful for diagnosis, and recommended managemen...