TYPES AND PREVALENCE OF TRANSFUSION REACTIONS IN THE DIFFERENT WARDS

ABSTRACT

Blood transfusions are lifesaving therapies and one of the most common procedures performed in hospitals. However, they can result in transfusion reactions, which can be serological or non-serological transfusion reaction. These transfusion reactions can also be asymptomatic, mild or potentially fatal. Continuous attention to incidence of transfusion reactions and analyses on the types of transfusion reactions are thereby essential for effective healthcare. This retrospective study aimed to assess the prevalence and distribution of transfusion reactions within the University of Benin Teaching Hospital across wards. It included analysing data from various blood bank’s documents, including the cross-match register, blood issuance register, and incident reports. The study sought to shed light on the occurrence of adverse reactions to blood and blood components across different hospital wards. The study focused on the prevalence of transfusion reactions over a 5-year period. The results indicate that out of a reported total of 59,920 blood transfusion units administered during the study period considered, 406 episodes of transfusion reactions were reported. This yields an overall prevalence of 0.68%. Of the 406 transfusion reactions that were reported, 43 were serological while 352 were non-serological transfusion reactions. A higher percentage of about 72% of the serological reactions were reported to be acute and majority were febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reaction (FNHTR) with symptoms of fever, chills, body pain and dark urine. None serological reactions were mostly allergic with reports of patients experiencing symptoms like hives, itching, and, in severe cases, anaphylaxis. Potential risk factors identifiedincluded emergency situations and improper storage and handling of blood. Less time for thorough compatibility testing, presence of cold agglutinins and inadequate patient assessment before transfusion may have led to high incidence rate of transfusion discovered in this study. This is most notable in the Accident and emergency ward which recorded a high transfusion incidence of 0.93%. Improper storage and handling of blood products is another risk factor for transfusion reaction. This can degrade their quality and increase the risk of allergen exposure. Importantly, the study underscores the significance of targeted monitoring, and rigorous documentation to enhance patient safety during blood transfusions. Notable limitation was that some investigation into the types of transfusion reaction was not always done at the laboratory, which led to undetailed reporting and records. Implementation of standardized protocols for documenting and compulsory reporting of transfusion reactions is recommended. It is also advisable to encourage further research in the field of transfusion reactions and management as well as regularly reviewing and updating of transfusion protocols based on new research and best practices.