title: Leucodepletion and Blood Products.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leucoreduction of blood products is increasingly being employed to produce blood products with residual WBCs < 5 × 10(6) per unit (99.9 percent or a log 3 leucoreduction). Clinical data suggests that non-haemolytic febrile transfusion reactions can be prevented by leucodepletion. The procedure also prevents alloimmunisation to HLA antigens in patients who will repeatedly require transfusion of blood/blood products.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of the methods available to reduce the number of WBC in blood products washing of red cells, freezing and deglycerolisation are effective and yield a product with only a 24 hour shelf life. Other methods such as leucodepletion filters are relatively inexpensive, simple and the final product has a normal shelf life. Modern generation of leucoreduction filters and apheresis machines can provide greater than 4 log reduction of WBC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the introduction of leucodepletion of blood for Thalassemics at our center in 2003, the incidence of non haemolytic febrile transfusion reactions (NHFTR) fell from 4% in 2002 to 1% in 2003.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients undergoing long-term blood transfusion therapy e.g. Thalassemics, alloimmunisation against the HLA antigens on donor white cells is prevented by leucodepletion and prevents NHFTRs.
authors.affiliation: Prof and Head, Dept of Transfusion Medicine, AFMC, Pune.
authors.forename: Harsh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Assoc Prof, Dept of Transfusion Medicine, AFMC, Pune.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Classified Specialist (Pathology and Haematology), AH (R&R), Delhi Cantt.
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.affiliation: Classified Specialist(Pathology), MH Roorkee.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.affiliation: Dy Comdt, CH(SC), Pune.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jaiprakash
keywords: Leucoreduction; alloimmunisation; leucodepletion