Red Blood Cell Transfusion in Patients With Autoantibodies: Is It Effective and Safe Without Increasing Hemolysis Risk?

ABSTRACT:

Background

The therapeutic efficacy of red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is highly debated because of speculations on the increased risk of transfusion reactions; yet it is a suggested adjuvant therapy in anemic patients with life-threatening hypoxemia. In this study, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of RBC transfusions in AIHA patients.

Methods

Daily changes in hemoglobin, total bilirubin, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were assessed in 161 AIHA patients without bleeding history who were transfused once with 1-5 units of the least-incompatible RBCs and monitored over a seven-day period. Post-transfusion patients positive for alloantibodies only or those without RBC-specific antibodies were considered as control groups

SUBMITTER: Park SH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4446583 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature