Some people experience agin reactions during or after a blood transfusion. These reactions can range from mild to severe. Nonetheless, most people who receive blood transfusions feel no complications.

Co-ordinate to the American Crimson Cross, people do non typically feel complications after having a blood transfusion, simply they tin can happen occasionally.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that the nearly common agin reactions are allergic and febrile (fever) transfusion reactions.

In this article, nosotros discuss the potential reactions a person may experience due to a claret transfusion.

A blood bag pictured before a blood transfusion, which may cause reactions. Share on Pinterest
Symptoms of a blood transfusion reaction, while uncommon, include fever, chills, and respiratory distress.

According to a 2020 article, the most mutual signs that bespeak a person is experiencing an adverse reaction include:

  • a fever
  • chills
  • hives
  • itching

However, these symptoms can resolve with niggling or no handling.

Signs that bespeak a more severe reaction include:

  • respiratory distress
  • low blood pressure level
  • loftier fever
  • red urine

Examples of acute transfusion reactions include the following:

Uncomplicated allergic reaction

Even when a person receives the right blood type, allergic reactions can occur.

According to a 2013 article in the British Journal of Haematology, reactions occur due to:

  • the donor blood containing specific plasma proteins that the recipient'south blood sees as allergens
  • the donor claret containing nutrient allergens, such as peanut or gluten
  • antibodies in donor claret react with antibodies in the recipient's blood

Symptoms

Symptoms are typically mild and include:

  • rash
  • itching
  • hives

Handling

Treatments for a balmy allergic reaction include:

  • stopping the transfusion
  • taking an antihistamine to assist care for an allergic reaction

Anaphylactic transfusion reaction

Anaphylactic reactions occur in those with immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiencies and take IgA antibodies in their plasma.

The recipient's anti-IgA antibodies can react with the IgA antibodies in the donor blood.

Symptoms

Symptoms typically include:

  • flushed peel
  • itching
  • hives
  • swelling
  • difficulty breathing
  • wheezing
  • blue lips
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • low claret pressure

Treatment

If a person is experiencing any of the above symptoms, a nurse or doctor will end the transfusion. After this, they will address the specific symptoms, which tin include:

  • intravenous (4) epinephrine
  • Four steroids
  • antihistamines
  • bronchodilators

Febrile not-hemolytic transfusion reaction

Co-ordinate to the CDC, a febrile not-hemolytic transfusion reaction (FNHTR) is the most common reaction. Information technology involves an unexplained ascent in temperature during or 4 hours after the transfusion.

The fever is role of the person's white claret cells response to the new blood.

Symptoms

Symptoms will depend on the severity and may include:

  • body temperature higher than 38ºC (100.4ºF)
  • fever and chills

If other symptoms are present, the person should contact their md.

Treatment

If FNHTR occurs during the transfusion, the healthcare professional volition stop the process.

Treatment depends on the symptoms. However, co-ordinate to the CDC, most reactions are typically mild and respond rapidly to handling.

  • investigating all cases of fever as it may indicate a more severe cause
  • taking the recommended dose of aspirin or acetaminophen

Acute hemolytic transfusion reaction

According to the CDC, this blazon of reaction occurs during, immediately afterward, or within 24 hours of the transfusion. This type of reaction occurs if a person has received the wrong claret type.

A 2019 article states that an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction causes the trunk to beginning destroying the donated red blood cells.

Symptoms

Symptoms can include:

  • chills
  • depression blood force per unit area
  • renal failure
  • dorsum hurting

Less common symptoms include:

  • flank pain
  • fever
  • carmine or brown urine

Treatment

If a person develops an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction, the physician or nurse will stop the transfusion.

Handling depends on the severity of the reaction and may include:

  • Iv fluids
  • dialysis
  • management of haemorrhage
  • supportive intendance

Septic transfusion reactions

According to a 2012 commodity, septic transfusion reactions typically occur due to bacterial contamination of the donor blood components, most commonly from the platelet products.

The bacteria in platelets that can cause a septic transfusion reaction include Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Symptoms

Symptoms tin can include:

  • a fever
  • chills
  • low claret pressure.

Treatment

Septic transfer reactions require immediate attention. Management of the condition involves

  • fluid management
  • respiratory back up
  • antibiotic therapy.

Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI)

This blood transfusion reaction develops very chop-chop. It happens when antibodies in the donor blood, such as human leukocyte antibodies, react with the recipient's leukocytes, or white claret cells. This results in pulmonary edema, or backlog fluid in the lungs.

According to the American Red Cross, no specific test exists to identify which blood products will cause TRALI.

Symptoms

Symptoms of TRALI include:

  • severe shortness of breath
  • fever
  • depression claret pressure level

Treatment

Treatment depends on the severity of the symptoms:

  • For mild cases, a person will need oxygen therapy.
  • For more astringent cases, a person may require artificial ventilation.

According to a 2012 article, virtually cases typically resolve within 48–72 hours. However, TRALI tin be fatal and has a bloodshed rate of betwixt 5–25%.

Transfusion-acquaintance circulatory overload (TACO)

TACO occurs if a person's circulatory arrangement is unable to procedure the amount of blood or the speed at which they are receiving it. Doctors phone call this volume overload, and people who accept heart or kidney conditions may develop it.

In TACO, the circulatory system becomes overwhelmed, resulting in pulmonary edema where the lungs fill with excess fluid.

Symptoms

Symptoms of TACO usually occur within a few hours of or during the transfusion and include:

  • rapid breathing
  • coughing
  • shortness
  • high blood pressure level
  • rapid heartbeat.

Treatment

If symptoms occur during the transfusion, the doc or healthcare professional will stop the procedure immediately.

According to LabMedicine, treatment for TACO depends on the severity.

  • placing the person in an upright position is often sufficient to treat mild TACO
  • treating a person with diuretics to remove excess fluid may aid resolve more than avant-garde TACO
  • intubating to improve respiration is sometimes necessary in severe cases

Examples of delayed transfusion reactions include the following:

Delayed hemolytic or delayed serologic transfusion reaction

A delayed hemolytic or delayed serologic transfusion reaction occurs when an antibiotic that the recipient already has reforms and reacts to crimson cell antigens. Reactions can occur betwixt 1 solar day and 4 weeks afterwards the transfusion.

A person can learn these antibodies through previous pregnancies or transfusions. These particular antibodies decrease over time to undetectable levels. Those with the antibodies have a higher risk of developing these transfusion reactions.

Symptoms

Symptoms typically include:

  • fever
  • jaundice
  • abdominal pain
  • night urine
  • loftier blood pressure
  • labored breathing

Treatment

According to LabMedicine, these transfusion reactions tend to be balmy and do non require treatment. If the reaction is pregnant, hydration is important.

Transfusion-associated graft versus host illness (TAGVHD)

According to the CDC, TAGVHD occurs when T-lymphocytes, a blazon of white blood cell, from the donor blood chop-chop increase in number in the recipient. They then attack the recipient's cells.

However, it is a very rare occurrence, and it has go less prevalent since the introduction of the irradiation of blood products. Claret irradiation involves exposing the claret components to ultraviolet light.

Symptoms

According to the CDC, symptoms include:

  • rash
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • abdominal pain
  • fever
  • os marrow failure

Treatment

Doctors find TAGVHD challenging to treat, and every bit a result, mortality rates are between xc–100%.

  • Prevention is the all-time course of handling. Using irradiation can assist prevent the chance of a person developing TAGVHD.

Posttransfusion purpura (PTP)

The CDC state that PTP is rare. It occurs when the recipient develops antibodies confronting the platelets. This results in the destruction of platelets and a decline in platelet numbers.

Symptoms

According to a 2019 article, symptoms of PTP can include:

  • bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary tract
  • fever and chills

Treatment

Treatment may include:

  • supportive intendance
  • IV immunoglobins and steroids

The outlook depends on which reaction a person is experiencing. However, serious blood transfusion reactions are uncommon.

Healthcare providers, blood banks, and hospitals take many precautions to help reduce the run a risk of a transfusion reaction from occurring.

According to the CDC, doctors transfuse 17.two one thousand thousand blood product units each year in the U.s.a., and well-nigh people exercise non experience any blood transfusion reactions.

If someone has a blood transfusion and experiences symptoms, such every bit shortness of breath, low blood pressure level, carmine or brown urine, flank pain, or other serious side effects, they should see a doctor immediately.