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Background: Blood transfusion (BT) may be associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism. The associations between transfusion reactions (TRs) during BTs and potential risk factors for the development of thromboembolism in patients underwent blood transfusion have not been analyzed. Therefore, this study aimed to compare risk factors associated with the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE) or pulmonary embolism (PE) between patients underwent blood transfusion with and without TRs., Study Designs and Methods: The retrospective study was conducted between April 1, 2017, and March 31, 2020, at a medical center in Taiwan. Blood-transfused patients were grouped into two cohorts as follows: those who experienced TRs and those who did not experience TRs. Both cohorts were subjected to follow-up until March 31, 2021. The endpoints for both groups were the occurrence of VTE or PE or the date of March 31, 2021. To investigate between-cohort risk differences, a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multiple Cox proportional hazard model was used., Results: A total of 10,759 patients underwent 59,385 transfusion procedures, with 703 patients in the TR group, and 10,056 patients in the non-TR group. The risk of VTE or PE was twice as high in the TR group than in the non-TR group (adjusted hazard ratio 2.53, 95% confidence interval 1.49-4.29, p = .001). Meanwhile, age, female sex, transfusion frequency increment, and being nondiabetic was associated with an increased risk of developing thromboembolism., Conclusion: TRs are associated with increased long-term thromboembolism risk in patients underwent blood transfusion. It is imperative for clinicians to acknowledge this and maintain rigorous follow-up., (© 2024 AABB.)

ABSTRACT Objectives To evaluate the clinical significance of GP. Mur antigen-negative blood selection for transfusion in patients with anti-'Mia' records. Background The GP. Mur RBC phenotype is prevalent (7·3%) in Taiwan. Antibodies against GP. Mur (anti-'Mia') are identified in 1·24% of our population, and anti-'Mia' screening using GP. Mur RBC has been routine for Taiwan's blood banks. However, due to the lack of commercial antibodies, only cross-matching was used to prevent transfusion of GP. Mur-positive blood to patients with anti-'Mia' in most hospitals. There is still a risk of GP. Mur-positive RBC exposure and subsequent anti-'Mia'-related transfusion reactions. Methods Since February 2014, GP. Mur antigen-negative RBCs identified by reaction with anti-'Mia'-positive serum were selected for blood recipients with anti-'Mia' records. The transfusion reactions between January 2013 and January 2014 were compared with those that occurred between February 2014 and July 2015. Results The transfusion reaction rate was significantly higher in anti-'Mia'-positive blood recipients compared to total subjects receiving an RBC transfusion before GP. Mur-negative donor RBC selection. After antigen-negative RBC selection, the transfusion reaction frequency in subjects with anti-'Mia' became similar to total blood recipients. IgG form anti-'Mia' antibodies were present in all cases of probable anti-'Mia'-related transfusion reactions. The time required for anti-'Mia' boosting after transfusion was around 4-21 days. Conclusion Selection of GP. Mur-negative RBC for transfusion to patients with anti-'Mia' records could decrease the rate of transfusion reaction and antibody boosting. This procedure should be incorporated into blood bank routines in areas where anti-'Mia' is prevalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous strengthening of the safety of blood products to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted HCV in recipients is an important issue of Taiwanese government concern. Since 2013, highly sensitivity serology and NAT assays were simultaneously used for blood donation screening to shorten the window period of HIV, HBV and HCV infections. 15 cases of suspected transfusion-transmitted HCV infection were analyzed in 2015-2018. No HCV nucleic acid was detected among a total 91 bags of donated blood. Eleven cases among the 15 suspected recipients were positive for HCV nucleic acid, and 9 recipients had genotype results. Of these 9 recipients, five for genotype 1b (5/9, 55.6%), three for genotype 2a (3/9, 33.3%) and one for genotype 2b (1/9, 11.1%). We will continuously monitor the blood safety of recipients. There have been no confirmed cases of acute hepatitis C (AHC) infection due to transfusions of HCV contaminated blood product in 2015-2018 in Taiwan., (Copyright © 2019 Formosan Medical Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Comprehensive care for thalassemia major (TM) patients has achieved great advances in the world, yet psychosocial developmental aspects of care in families with afflicted members has made only limited progress. Besides confronting the disease itself, a major task for children with TM is to develop into autonomous, healthy, and functioning adults. An emerging concept in considering the adjustment of children with chronic physical disorders is "quality of life"(QL). To study the QL with regard to reflection by psychosocial adjustment in TM children, we enrolled 55 TM patients undergoing intravenous (IV) and/or oral iron chelation, 39 of whom completed the content on issues related to QL according to Cramer and Devinsky. It was concluded that oral iron chelation can be better adjusted than IV iron chelation for a thalassemic child. This favors its use, but not necessarily in combination with IV iron chelation. Perception gaps that arise from age or generation merit concern. This approach to the study of QL, as reflected by psychosocial adjustment in children with TM, is an excellent method for learning about parental-child adjustment regarding a chronic physical condition such as TM.