Transfusion reactions in thalassemia. A survey from the Cooleycare programme. The Cooleycare Cooperative Group.
A survey on transfusion reactions in thalassemia was carried out within the COOLEYCARE Programme, a cooperative enterprise aimed at improving quantity and quality of life in thalassemia through a program of quality assurance of treatment delivered to patients. Reactions were reported in 1,225 of 111,590 red cell transfusions (1.1%) given during 40 months (September 1985-December 1987) to 3,755 thalassemics in Italy and Greece. About 90% of red cell units were leukocyte-poor. Filtration was the most commonly used technique for leukocyte removal. Chills, fever, urticaria, headache and chest pain accounted for more than 80% of symptoms reported. Reactions were reported during transfusion in two thirds of cases. Although reactions were reported from 16% of patients, three quarters of reacting patients had no more than 2 reactions in 40 months.
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Centro Trasfusionale e di Immunologia dei Trapianti, Ospedale Maggiore, Milano, Italy.
D001787:Blood Group Incompatibility / Q000209:etiology*; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology*; D006087:Graft vs Host Reaction; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D007558:Italy; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D065227:Transfusion Reaction