Patient-specific transfusion-related acute lung injury

Vox Sang. 2008 Jan;94(1):70-3. doi: 10.1111/j.1423-0410.2007.00982.x.

Abstract

Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is one of the leading causes of transfusion-associated mortality. The inadvertent transfusion of neutrophil antibodies can cause pulmonary transfusion reactions and TRALI. However, not all patients transfused with neutrophil antibodies experience transfusion reactions. A 22-year-old man with severe aplastic anaemia (SAA) experienced TRALI after a platelet transfusion. The donor was found to be alloimmunized to human neutrophil antigen (HNA)-3a, an antigen expressed by neutrophils from approximately 90% of Caucasians. Eleven other platelet components from this donor were transfused prior to this event and two caused reactions: one chills and one TRALI. Both episodes of TRALI occurred in the same male patient with SAA. The fact that one patient experienced TRALI following both exposures to anti-HNA-3a from the same donor whereas nine other recipients did not adds evidence to the observation that patient factors make a significant contribution to neutrophil antibody-mediated transfusion reactions.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Anemia, Aplastic / immunology
  • Anemia, Aplastic / therapy
  • Blood Donors
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Isoantigens / blood
  • Lung Injury*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neutrophils / immunology
  • Platelet Transfusion / adverse effects*

Substances

  • HNA-3a antigen, human
  • Isoantigens