SIDE-EFFECTS FROM TRANSFUSED BLOOD PRODUC TS

Most discussions of blood transfusion cover risks and side effects, wh ile the daily benefits of donor systems and transfusion concepts for m odern medicine are taken for granted. Even though in this report side effects are a major part of the content, we should be aware that today 's component concept leads to a remarkable quality level of blood prod ucts. After a historical introduction we present a patient with transf usion transmitted anti-hepatitis A IgM antibodies and a delayed type h emolytic transfusion reaction induced by a boostered anti-Fy(b) alloan tibody. This case demonstrates that the safety of transfusions depends on both the blood product and the patient's transfusion history. In t he second part we summarize side effects from transfused blood product s: (1) transmission of infectious diseases and the risk of blood produ cts testing falsely negative, (2) immune mediated side effects, (3) im munomodulations by blood transfusions, (4) side effects caused by huma n error. Minimizing transfusion risks is not only the task of the doct ors specialized in transfusion medicine, but can only be achieved by c lose cooperation between all the persons associated with each step, fr om motivating unpaid blood donors, evaluation of donors, phlebotomy, v iral testing, preparation of components, storage, and transportation c onditions, to adequate indications and transfusions for tile patients.