Asian Journal of Transfusion Science

Neonates and children are physically as well as physiologically different from adults. They are immunologically vulnerable, and the effects of transfusion can be longstanding, including with respect to their development. The transfusion reactions in children differ from those in adults in the type of reactions, incidence, and severity. The incidence is more than that in adults for the common type of reactions noted in children. Transfusion reactions are most commonly associated with platelets, followed by plasma and red blood cell transfusions in children...

Rare blood group detection is important as the incidence of these blood groups is very low. These rare blood groups need a transfusion of blood from the same group of people; sometimes, it is not available in blood banks. It is important to detect them in the field of transfusion medicine so that the right transfusion at the right time and for the right patient is ensured. We had one patient who was identified as blood group O in a private laboratory and the patient came to our hospital for anemia during the second trimester of pregnancy whose forward grouping showed no agglutination in the anti-a and anti-b and also no agglutination in the anti-H so we thought it to be Bombay blood group...

INTRODUCTION: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is characterized by increased red cell destruction and/or decreased red cell survival due to autoantibodies directed against self-antigens on red cells. Since autoantibodies react with self and nonself red blood cells (RBCs), they tend to mask the underlying clinically significant alloantibodies and many a times mimic a specific pattern like alloantibodies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We discuss three immune hematological cases of warm autoantibodies...

CONTEXT: Yellow phosphorus (YP) 3% is one of the rodenticides available, which is a potent hepatotoxin and it is fatal. Management of YP poisoning is difficult since there is no antidote available; only definitive management is liver transplantation. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) helps the YP poisoning patients by removing the poison or its metabolite or the inflammatory mediators released in the body in response to toxin. AIMS: To determine the role of TPE in rat killer (YP) poisoning...

BACKGROUND: In multi-transfused thalassemia patients, serological phenotyping fails to test patient's actual blood group antigen profile due to the presence of donor red blood cell (RBC) in the circulation. This limitation of serological tests can be overcome by genotype determination using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods. The aim of this study is to compare the serological phenotyping of Kell, Kidd, and Duffy blood group systems with molecular genotyping in the normal blood donors and multi-transfused thalassaemia patients...

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) has been advocated as an adjunct to steroids and cytotoxic drugs in treating patients suffering from vasculitis and presenting with active disease, but we still have insufficient evidence on its effectiveness in improving the clinical response, especially in India. This study was planned to study the clinical outcome in severe vasculitic presentations treated with TPE as an adjunctive therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of TPE procedures performed from July 2013 to July 2017 in the department of transfusion medicine at a large tertiary care hospital was done...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: When determining ABO antibody titers, immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies can be masked by immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies. Hence, the measurement of actual concentration of IgG requires methods like heat inactivation (HI) of plasma. This study was aimed at determining the effects of HI on IgM and IgG titers performed by conventional tube technique (CTT) and column agglutination technique (CAT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study conducted from October 2019 to March 2020...

BACKGROUND: Red cell transfusion remains the gold standard in managing sickle cell disease (SCD) with severe complications. Offering red blood cell exchange (RBCX) either manual exchange transfusion (MET) or automated RBCX (aRBCX) can reduce the complications of chronic transfusion and maintain target Hb thresholds. This study audits the hospital experience of overseeing adult SCD patients treated with RBCX, both automated and manual, and compares the safety and efficacy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective observational study was conducted as an audit for chronic RBCX for adult patients with SCD in 2015-2019 at King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia...

CONTEXT: Dengue fever is the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease in humans. Platelet indices (PIs) are given by the cell counters but are often not reported which is possibly due to under-recognition of the utility of these parameters. AIMS: This study aimed to compare PIs in patients with dengue fever to assess their role in the outcome such as hospital stay and platelet transfusion requirements. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Prospective observational study in a tertiary care center, Thrissur, Kerala...

Isaacs syndrome is a disease characterized by nerve hyperexcitability and pseudomyotonia and treated with immunomodulatory and symptomatic therapy approaches. Here, we report a case of anti-(leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1) antibody-positive patient diagnosed as Isaacs syndrome and accomplished a nearly complete response to only four sessions of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). Our experience suggests that TPE along with other immunomodulatory agents may be beneficial and well-tolerated approach in patient with Isaacs syndrome...

The P blood group system was introduced in 1927 by Landsteiner and Levine. About 75% of the population possesses P1 phenotype. P2 simply implies P1 negative and there is no P2 antigen. Individuals with P2 may have anti-P1 antibodies in there serum are cold-reacting antibodies which are clinically insignificant and occasionally active at 20°C or higher temperatures. However, in certain cases, anti-P1 is clinically significant and may cause acute intravascular hemolytic transfusion reactions. Our case report confirms the complexity and difficulty in the diagnosis of anti-P1...

INTRODUCTION: Safe blood donors form the backbone of safe blood transfusion services.[1] Donor eligibility policies are a critical layer of blood safety designed to ensure selection of healthy donors and to protect recipients from any harm. This study was planned to analyze the pattern of whole blood donor deferrals and its characteristics and reasons at a tertiary care institute in northern India, as the pattern varies according to epidemiology of diseases in different demographic areas...

Among the blood counts, platelet count is most often reported with inconsistency. Many of the analyzers work on electrical impedance principle for red blood cell (RBC) and platelet counting. However, with this technology, factors such as fragmented RBCs, microcytes, cytoplasmic fragments of leukemic cells, lipid particles, fungal yeast forms, and bacteria are known to interfere with platelet count and give spuriously elevated platelet counts. A 72-year-old male was admitted for the treatment of dengue infection who had serial platelet count monitoring...

PURPOSE: Assessment of residual white blood cell (rWBC) count is vital to ascertain the quality of leukodepleted (LD) blood components. Automated cell analyzers lack the sensitivity for the assessment of very few leukocytes as found in LD blood components. Flow Cytometry (FC) based methods and Nageotte hemocytometer are the most commonly used techniques for this purpose. The objective of this study was to compare the use of Nageotte hemocytometer and FC for quality control of LD red blood cell units...

BACKGROUND: von Willebrand disease is a common inherited bleeding disorder caused by the deficiency of von Willebrand factor (vWF).[1] The levels of vWF depend on several factors, including exercise, hormones, and ABO blood type.[2] This study was planned to evaluate plasma vWF levels and factor VIII (fVIII) levels in healthy blood donors and its association with the ABO blood group. AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate plasma vWF levels and fVIII levels in healthy donors and its association with the ABO blood group...

BACKGROUND: Hepcidin-25, a polypeptide hormone, plays a major role in iron metabolism and is found to be reduced during iron deficiency; therefore, testing for hepcidin can be utilized as an indicator of bioavailability of iron. Globally, reference range values for hepcidin have been established in different communities. The aim of the present study was to establish the normal reference range values of serum hepcidin in Indian blood donors to fathom the baseline and reference point of hepcidin...

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: High-yield plateletpheresis donations can reduce donor exposure and be economically beneficial as well. However, obtaining a high-yield plateletpheresis from a maximum number of donors with low basal platelet count and its effect on postdonation platelet count of donors undergoing high-yield plateletpheresis has been a matter of concern. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of making high-yield platelet donation as a routine practice. METHODS: It was a retrospective observational study to determine the effect of high-yield plateletpheresis on donor reactions, efficacy, and quality parameters...

The World Health Organization and National Blood Transfusion Council, Government of India, advocate regular repeat nonremunerated voluntary blood donors as the safest of all donors to meet the blood requirements of the country. Recruitment and retention of individuals as voluntary blood donors requires the adoption of novel and varied strategies protecting the voluntary nonremunerated nature of blood donation. In this review article, we are focusing on how addressing the donor suggestions and concerns has created a win-win situation for blood donors and blood transfusion services...

A countrywide study over the eras indicates overuse of blood transfusion can have considerable risks to patients accompanied by significant costs of blood transfusion for patients, hospitals, and health-care systems. Besides, more than 30% of the world's population is anemic. Typically, blood transfusion helps continue suitable oxygen transfer in anemia, i.e., more and more documented as a threatening factor with several adverse outcomes including long hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality. Transplantation of allogeneic blood is thus like a two-edged sword...