title: Leucoreduction of blood components: an effective way to increase blood safety?
abstract: Over the past 30 years, it has been demonstrated that removal of white blood cells from blood components is effective in preventing some adverse reactions such as febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reactions, immunisation against human leucocyte antigens and human platelet antigens, and transmission of cytomegalovirus. In this review we discuss indications for leucoreduction and classify them into three categories: evidence-based indications for which the clinical efficacy is proven, indications based on the analysis of observational clinical studies with very consistent results and indications for which the clinical efficacy is partial or unproven.
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.|Blood Transfusion Service, "A. Gemelli" University Polyclinic, "Sacro Cuore" Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.|Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vaglio
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pupella
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marano
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.|Immunohaemathology and Transfusion Medicine Unit, "Città della Salute e della Scienza" Hospital, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Facco
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Liumbruno
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grazzini
mesh_terms: D016913:Blood Component Transfusion; D058731:Blood Safety; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D006680:HLA Antigens; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens