Reporting Adverse Transfusion Reactions in a Teritary Care Centre, Kerala, India

Abstract

Introduction: Therapeutic use of blood and its components has increased in most tertiary care centres and also it carries its own advantages and risks. Aim: To determine the frequency and type of Transfusion Reactions (TR) occurring in patients admitted to our hospital. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of all TR reported to the blood bank were analysed, between April 2016 to March 2017 was done. TR were evaluated and classified using standard definitions. Retrospective study was conducted in Department of Transfusion Medicine, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Results: During the study period a total 52,925 units of blood and components were issued and transfused. Total of 110 (0.21%) adverse reactions were reported to blood bank. Among the TR most common was Febrile Non Haemolytic Transfusion Reactions (FNHTR) 58 (52.7%) followed by allergic reactions 43 (39.1%). 80% of TR were associated with Packed Red Blood Cell (PRBC) transfusion, 11.8% by Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP), 6.4% by Platelet Concentrate (PC) and 1.8% by Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) transfusion. Conclusions: Not a single case of Delayed Haemolytic Transfusion Reactions (DHTR) was reported in our centre, which might have underreported. Establishing proper haemovigilance system to evaluate the critical transfusion events will improve the patient’s safety and quality of blood transfusion.

Keywords

• allergic reactions
• blood transfusion
• fresh frozen plasma
• febrile non haemolytic transfusion reactions
• haemovigilance
• non-immune transfusion reactions