BLOOD-TRANSFUSION AS A CAUSE OF LEUKOCYTOSIS IN CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS

The diagnosis of infection in the intensive care unit is confounded by the presence of non-infectious causes of leucocytosis. Unless such ca uses are recognised, time and effort will be spent on unnecessary inve stigations and treatments. In a prospective study we have shown that t he transfusion of blood frequently (45/50 patients) causes an acute le ucocytosis in such patients. This effect was not seen in 8 patients wh o received plasma. Blood transfusion should be added to the list of no n-infectious causes of leucocytosis in the critically ill.