title: [Blood--a special resource].
abstract: Haemotherapy is an integral part of modern high-tech medicine. Without supportive care including red blood cell (RBC), platelet concentrate (PC) and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion, invasive therapies such as high-dose chemotherapy regimens for haematological and solid malignancies, haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) and solid organ transplantation as well as major surgery and modern trauma management would not be possible. In this article we describe the current state of haemotherapy, the risk of adverse effects and risk minimization measures, specifically focussing on haemolytic transfusion reactions (HTR), transfusion-related lung injury (TRALI) and transfusion-transmitted infections (TTI). Aided by the introduction of NAT technology for blood component screening, the residual risk of transfusion transmitted infections was reduced to 1:10.8 million for HCV, to 1:4.3 million for HIV-1, and to 1:360,000 for HBV for blood products of the German Red Cross Blood Service.
authors: Institut für Transfusionsmedizin und Immunhämatologie, DRKBlutspendedienstes Baden-Württemberg - Hessen in Frankfurt, Universität Frankfurt am Main, Germany. c.geisen@blutspende.de
authors: Christof
authors: C
authors: Geisen
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Schmidt
authors: Dieter
authors: D
authors: Klarmann
authors: Jörg
authors: J
authors: Schüttrumpf
authors: Markus M
authors: MM
authors: Müller
authors: Erhard
authors: E
authors: Seifried
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000209:etiology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016913:Blood Component Transfusion; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000592:standards*; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006461:Hemolysis; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology; D010949:Plasma; D017713:Platelet Transfusion; D012306:Risk; D012308:Risk Management; D065227:Transfusion Reaction