title: To filter blood or universal leukoreduction: what is the answer?
abstract: The safety of the blood supply has been a concern over the past 20-30 years because of the transmission of infectious diseases. Blood is still routinely tested for viruses, and leukoreduction is an effective strategy to reduce the transmission of cell-associated viruses. Clinically, the benefits of leukoreduction include decreases in transfusion reactions, HLA alloimmunization, infections, fever episodes, and antibiotic use. Although leukoreduction will add cost to a unit of blood, projections indicate that leukoreduced blood will become the standard of care.
authors.affiliation: SUNY-Stony Brook School of Medicine, General Surgery, New York, USA. mjshapiro@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
authors.forename: Marc J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Shapiro
mesh_terms: D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000379:methods*; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000379:methods*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000635:transmission; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005374:Filtration; D006801:Humans; D047589:Leukocyte Reduction Procedures; D012308:Risk Management / Q000379:methods; D065227:Transfusion Reaction