Heart 1998;80:299-300 ( September )
Case report
Transfusion associated graft versus host disease in an
immunocompetent individual following coronary artery bypass grafting
a Aberdeen and North
East Scotland Blood Transfusion Centre, Foresterhill Road, Aberdeen
AB25 2ZW, UK, b Infection Unit,
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen AB25 2ZW, UK, c Department of Haematology, Aberdeen Royal
Infirmary, Aberdeen AB25 2ZN, UK
Correspondence to: Dr Watson.
Accepted for publication 8 May 1998
Transfusion associated graft versus host disease (TA-GVHD) is a
rare but commonly fatal complication of transfusion of cellular blood
products, which usually occurs in immunosuppressed individuals following transfusion and subsequent engraftment of viable T
lymphocytes. Very rarely it may arise in apparently immunocompetent
individuals. A case is reported of TA-GVHD in a
non-immunocompromised 60 year old white man, resulting from red
cell transfusion after coronary artery bypass grafting. HLA typing
confirmed homozygosity of the donor for an HLA type shared by the
recipient
the classic scenario for the development of TA-GVHD in
immunocompetent individuals. The patient died 21 days after
transfusion. There is a perceived increased risk of TA-GVHD following
bypass grafting and other surgical procedures where cardiopulmonary
bypass is required. TA-GVHD is probably underreported and the incidence
in the UK is felt to be too low to warrant routine irradiation of
cellular products for this group of patients. Clinicians, pathologists, and transfusion centres should be aware of this rare but devastating complication of blood transfusion after cardiac surgery.
© 1998 by Heart
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This article has been cited by other articles:
-
GHREW, M H, RINGROSE, T, YOUNG, D, PETO, T
(1999). Transfusion associated graft versus host disease. Heart
82: 255-256
[Full Text] -
WILLIAMSON, L. M
(1998). Transfusion associated graft versus host disease and its prevention. Heart
80: 211-212
[Full Text]
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