Transfusion-related acute lung injury caused by an NB2 granulocyte-specific antibody in a patient with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

HLA and granulocyte-specific antibodies have been implicated in the production of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). Reported here is a case that suggests that the patient's preexisting condition may play an important role in determining whether TRALI develops upon transfusion of blood products containing anti-white cell (WBC) antibodies. A 29-year-old woman with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) underwent an uneventful 1.5-volume plasma exchange, which was followed by the transfusion of 2 red cell (RBC) units. At the end of the second RBC transfusion, the patient developed clinical signs and symptoms of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. Serologic studies demonstrated that the serum from the second RBC donor had no HLA antibodies but did have a granulocyte-specific antibody (anti-NB2) that caused the agglutination of the recipient's granulocytes, which were NB2 positive. Serum from the donor of the first RBC unit and serum from the donors of units used in the exchange had no HLA or granulocyte-specific antibodies that reacted with the recipient's WBCs. Because the donor implicated in this reaction had a history of 21 blood donations, none of which had been associated with a transfusion reaction, we suggest that the patient's preexisting condition played a significant role in this episode of TRALI, owing to the granulocyte-specific antibody.

Vancomycin-dependent antibodies associated with thrombocytopenia and refractoriness to platelet transfusion in patients with leukemia.

Two patients with leukemia experienced profound thrombocytopenia and refractoriness to platelet transfusion during vancomycin treatment. In one patient, withdrawal of drug and administration of platelet transfusions restored platelet counts to near normal levels (approximately 100 x 10(9)/L), however, subsequent challenge with vancomycin due to recurring infection again precipitated severe thrombocytopenia (platelets less than 10 x 10(9)/L) and life-threatening hemorrhagic symptoms. Potent vancomycin-dependent antiplatelet antibodies were detected in the serum of both patients during the refractory period using staphylococcal protein A rosette formation. Employing a monoclonal antibody-antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the patients were found to have vancomycin-dependent IgG antibodies that bound specifically to platelet glycoproteins (GP) IIb and/or IIIa. One of these antibodies failed to react with platelets deficient in GPIIb/IIIa obtained from an individual with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia. These findings provide the first major evidence for drug-dependent antibodies in association with severe thrombocytopenia and refractoriness to platelet transfusion in alloimmunized leukemia patients and, further, provide the first demonstration of vancomycin-dependent antibodies reactive with platelets.

Successful allogeneic cryopreserved marrow transplantation.

Cryopreservation has been used extensively in autologous marrow transplantation (BMT), but there has been limited use in allogeneic BMT. We describe here 6 cases of successful engraftment following allogeneic BMT with cryopreserved marrow. Patients suffered from Wiscott-Aldrich syndrome, osteopetrosis, aplastic anemia, and acute lymphocytic, acute non-lymphocytic, and chronic myelogenous leukemia, and ranged in age from 5 mos to 35 yrs. Marrow was collected using standard techniques. In one case T-cells were removed to prevent graft-vs-host disease. Marrow was frozen for a variety of reasons. Buffy coat cells were frozen at controlled rate in 10% DMSO, and stored in liquid nitrogen for 6 to 49 d. Engraftment (WBC greater than 1000/uL x 3 d) occurred from 13 to 37 d post BMT. In 4 of 4 cases in which data are available, donor origin of engraftment was documented, 1 with cytogenetics, 2 with red cell typing, and 4 with restriction fragment length polymorphisms. 3 patients are alive and well 21, 21, and 42 months post BMT. These results suggest frozen marrow can be successfully used for allogeneic BMT.

Causes for hospitalization of nursing home residents: the role of infection.

Little is known about specific clinical conditions that lead to hospitalization of nursing home patients. To explore this, the authors examined the hospitalizations of 128 nursing home residents and compared them with hospitalizations of 320 patients from the outpatient clinic. Hospitalized nursing home patients were older, were admitted to medical services more frequently, and had more nonspecific complaints on admission. Nursing home patients were hospitalized most frequently for diseases of the circulatory system (16 per cent), respiratory system (14 per cent), and genitourinary system (12 per cent); clinic patients, for diseases of the circulatory system (25 per cent) and nervous system (10 per cent), neoplasms (10 per cent), and signs and symptoms of ill-defined conditions (10 per cent). The most frequent causes of hospitalization for all patients were diseases of the circulatory system (23 per cent), nervous system (10 per cent), and neoplasms (10 per cent). Among patients from the nursing home, infections caused substantially more admissions (27 per cent) than among patients originating from clinic (12 per cent; P less than 0.001). These findings disclose an important opportunity to reduce health care costs and enhance quality of life in the nursing home, particularly through the treatment and control of infections.