Prevalence of acute blood transfusion rections in 11 hospitals of Tehran and Mazandaran province

Acute blood complications form the most frequent and important reactions among the blood transfusion adverse effects; acute hemolytic reaction, bacterial contamination, and transfusion related acute lung injury [TRALI] are the most frequent causes of death following blood transfusion. In this descriptive prospective study, 2633 patients hospitalized in surgical and non-surgical departments of 11 hospitals having received blood transfusion were evaluated for acute blood transfusion reactions. Among these patients, 20 [0.8%] encountered acute blood transfusion reactions. Out of this group of patients, eight experienced febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions, nine had allergic reactions, one developed blood group incompatibility, and two disseminated intravascular coagulation [DIC]. This study indicates that the most prevalent blood transfusion reactions were fever and allergy [0.3%]. This reported rate [0.5-6%] is lower than the global rate. The rate of blood group incompatibility in this study was 0.03%, showing a higher prevalence than the global rate [0.004%]

[Evaluation of appropriate blood administration in hospitalized patients]

Considering the increasing trend of blood use, one of the main issues in blood safety is appropriate blood administration encompassing the size of needle lumen, use of high- flow sets for transfusion, and blood warming. In this descriptive study, 2713 hospitalized patients from two hospitals receiving blood and blood components were evaluated for blood administration. From 2713 recipients, 2386 [88%] received unwarmed blood, and 230[8.5%] warmed blood. Regarding the rest 97 [3.5%] no data were received. Out of the total number of recipients, 65[2.3%] received blood with high flow rate through needle and 2585 with low rate. Regarding the rest 64 no data were received. 1804 patients [66.9%] were transfused with number 18 needle, 464 [17.1%] with number 20, 119[4.3%] with number 22, 122[4.4%] with number 16, and a few [7.8%] with different needle numbers. The needle sizes used for blood transfusion were appropriate. But high-flow sets for rapid transfusion and blood warming methods were inappropriate