Publication:

Acute blood transfusion reaction in a tertiary care hospital in Southern Punjab, Pakistan

Background Blood transfusion is a lifesaving process but carries many risks. Majority of these had been reduced with better diagnostic and management strategies. But the risk of non-infectious adverse transfusion reactions though reduced but cannot be eliminated. Hemovigilance is the system to monitor such reactions.

Methods The objective of current study was to know the frequency of adverse transfusion reactions and to compare it with local and international data. Retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was done in Ibn-e- Sina hospital. Adverse transfusion reactions reported to blood bank was analysed according to hospital protocol.

Results Out of 6050 blood transfusions 23 (0.38%) develop adverse transfusion reactions. Febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reaction was the commonest adverse event and whole blood was the component implicated.

Conclusions Adverse transfusion reactions are non-infectious complications of blood transfusion which in spite of all efforts cannot be avoided. Frequency of adverse transfusion reactions in our study was 0.38% and Febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reaction was commonest reported reaction type. Hemovigilance system is necessary to monitor, investigate and control such activities.