Delayed intravascular haemolysis following multiple asymptomatic ABO-incompatible red blood cell transfusions in a patient with hepatic failure

Vox Sang. 2008 Oct;95(3):232-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1423-0410.2008.01085.x.

Abstract

ABO-incompatible red blood cell (RBC) transfusions have rarely been associated with delayed haemolysis. However, we report the case of a 75-year-old man (blood type O) with hepatic disease, who received 5 units of incompatible type B RBCs over 8 days. The patient did not develop symptomatic or biochemical evidence of haemolysis until 7-8 days after the first incompatible RBC unit. The patient had a low anti-B antibody titre (1 : 64) prior to the first transfusion. The onset of haemolysis was temporally associated with an increase in anti-B and the infusion of fresh-frozen plasma. In conclusion, a patient with hepatic failure experienced a delayed haemolytic transfusion reaction after receiving multiple ABO-incompatible RBC transfusions that were initially well-tolerated. We speculate that the delayed haemolysis may have resulted from an anamnestic antibody response to the initial incompatible transfusion, or possibly as a result of the transfusion of fresh-frozen plasma, which might have repleted low complement levels.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • ABO Blood-Group System*
  • Aged
  • Blood Group Incompatibility / blood*
  • Blood Group Incompatibility / etiology
  • Erythrocyte Transfusion*
  • Hemolysis*
  • Humans
  • Liver Failure / blood
  • Liver Failure / therapy*
  • Male
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • ABO Blood-Group System