HAEM: Blood transfusion Flashcards
Which two ways help determine ABO blood groups?
- Determined by
- (1) antigens on RBC membrane,
- (2) naturally occurring IgM in the plasma
- IgG reacts against atypical RBC antigens
- IgM reacts against normal RBC antigens
Apart from ABO, list some other blood group antigens.
- Other blood group antigens – Kell (K), M, N, S, Duffy (Fy), Kidd (Jk)
- Duffy and Kidd are known for causing delayed transfusion reactions
- The level of anti-Duffy and anti-Kidd decline with age
What is the consequence of giving ABO incompatible blood vs other antigen incompatible(e.g. Duffy and Kidd)?
ABO - Massive intravascular haemolysis
Duffy and Kidd - delayed transfusion reaction, but the antibodies against these decline with age
What % of population are RhD -ve?
15% (85% are RhD positive)
What is the consequence of giving RhD +ve to an RhD-ve patient?
Will sometimes induce formation of Anti-D this does not cause any acute problem and will be picked up by the lab next time they need blood
What is the problem of making anti-RhD in pregnancy and having an RhD-ve fetus?
Anti-D made by an Rh -ve mother exposed to Rh +ve blood –> haemolytic disease of the newborn or severe fetal anaemia and heart-failure (hydrops fetalis) in RhD -ve females of child bearing potential
What is the difference between crossmatch and group and save?
GROUP and SCREEN – check ABO group and plasma antibodies in patient (done each time it is requested for that patient)
Full crossmatch – checks patient’s blood against donor blood specifically
How is blood GROUP testing carried out?
- (1) Use known anti-A, anti-B and anti-D reagents against the patient’s RBCs
-
(2) Reverse group: known A and B groups red blood cells are mixed with the patient’s plasma (IgM antibodies)
- This group acts as an internal control – if it does not match, this is an anomalous result
- New-borns often have a weak reverse group as their ABs have not developed fully yet
- A positive result causes agglutination at the top
- A negative result will mean that the red cells stay suspended at the bottom of the vial
How is blood SCREEN carried out?
- Antibody screen on patient’s plasma – avoid a delayed transfusion reaction with _IgG_ antibodies…
- (1) use 2 or 3 reagent RBCs containing all important RBC antigens between them
- (2) incubate patient’s plasma and screening cells using the Indirect Antiglobulin Technique (IAT)
- (a) Patient serum containing specific antibody added to reagent RBCs
- (b) Add Anti-Human Globulin (AHG) to promote agglutination
- (c) If +ve, reaction creates bridges between RBCs coated in IgG antibodies à visible clumps
- https://youtu.be/PozNhjmxvG0?t=44 = good distinction of the types of Coomb’s test!
Why do you do a group and save every time?
SCREEN: Antibody screen:
It is impossible to test for all RBC antigens
1-3% of patients have developed antibodies to >1 RBC antigens (i.e. due to previous transfusion or pregnancy)
Immune antibodies are IgG - these can cause a DELAYED transfusion reaction; extravascular haemolysis (As opposed to naturally occurring IgM antibodies that cause an IMMEDIATE intravascular haemolysis)
A 10-cell panel is used to identify RBC antibodies
What kind of panel and how many components are used in antibody screening in blood?
10-cell panel is used
How is SEROLOGICAL crossmatching done? Which method is only done in emergency?
-
Serological crossmatching:
-
Full Crossmatch (uses IAT):
- Patient’s plasma is incubated with donor red cells at 37 degrees for 30-40 mins
- Detects antibody-antigen reaction that destroys the RBCs leading to extravascular haemolysis
- Add antiglobulin reagent to cause cross-linking
- IgG antibodies bind to RBCs but do not crosslinking (why the AHG added in an IAT test)
- Immediate Spin [EMERGENCY Scenario Only]:
- Incubate patient’s plasma and donor red cells for 5 minutes only and spin
- Will only detect ABO incompatibility
- IgM anti-A and/or anti-B bind to RBCs, fix complement and lyse the cell
-
Full Crossmatch (uses IAT):
When is Kell antigen negative blood specifically given?
Women of child-bearing age
What is the traceability tag on blood?
Allows for 100% traceability from donor to recipient
Kept for 30 years
What is the use of ELECTRONIC crossmatch?
Compatibility of blood determined by IT system without physical testing of donor cells against plas,a
This is quick and less staff involved and better stock management
What are the pillars of blood transfusion?
How quickly is each blood component given and how is each stored?
What are the indications for a blood transfusion in a patient?
- Is the patient bleeding?
- What are the blood results?
- Is the patient symptomatic?
- Will a transfusion solve the problem?
- What are the risks of transfusion?
- Are there alternative treatments?
If the patient is male, what blood is given in an emergency?
O positive
Why is plasma tranfusion given quicker?
- The reason platelets need to be given more quickly is because they are stored at room temperature and so bacteria can contaminate it quite quickly –> if patient develops a temperature stop the platelets and take blood cultures
- The platelets should then be sent back to the lab for microbiological testing
- A reaction with plasma is more likely to be allergic as plasma is frozen and so is unlikely to be contaminated by microbes
Which component should be compatible when giving RBC/ platelets/ plasma? How long can thawed FFP be used vs cryoprecipitate?
FFP - kept for 24hrs once thawed, kept at 4oC
Cryo - used over 24, kept at RT
Describe the MSBOS.
MSBOS = maximum surgical blood ordering schedule
- Based on negotiation between surgeons and transfusion lab about predictable loss for planned surgery
- Some operations rarely need blood whereas others will always need blood (e.g. AAA repair)
- For elective surgery, the patient should be group and screened before the operation
- If antibodies are not present, a crossmatch is NOT needed but the sample should be saved in the fridge
- If unexpected need for blood –> provided <10 mins (by electronic issue as no antibodies are present)
- If antibodies are present, ALWAYS CROSSMATCH
What are the indications and triggers for RBC transfusions?
What are the indications and triggers for platelet transfusion? When is this transfusion best given?
During the procedure
What are the contraindications to platelet transfusion?
- Contraindications:
- Heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia and thrombosis
- Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)
What rise in plt does 1 unit of platelets cause?
- 1 unit of platelets –> increase platelet count by 30-40 x 109/L
Platelet dysfunction can be caused by drugs (e.g. aspirin, clopidogrel)
What are the indications and triggers for FFP transfusion?
NB: no longer just collected from non-UK donors
What is best used for transfusion when trying to reverse warfarin?
Not FFP - this contains all clotting factors
Prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) - contains factors 2, 7, 9, 10
Which blood components are GROUP matched but not crossmatched?
Platelets and FFP
How are blood bottles labelled?
At the bedside
Hand-written labels
What instances can patients get their own blood during a surgery?
When is CMV negative/irradiated/washed blood used?
When can O positive blood be given in an emergency?
Females over 50 and males
What can be given instead of blood in a major transfusion lasting <3 hours? When is this contraindicated? What is done is these steps do not work?
TXA 1g bolus followed by 1g over 8 hours
Contraindicated in GI bleeding
If bleeding continues give 1:1 RBC:FFP usually 4 units of each. Fibrinogen concentrate 50mg/kg if more than 4 units of blood transfused.
List some types of acute reactions (<24 hours) with blood transfusion.
- Acute haemolytic (ABO incompatible)
- Allergic/anaphylaxis
- Infection (bacterial)
- Febrile non-haemolytic
- Respiratory
-
Transfusion associated circulatory overload (TACO)
- MOST COMMON ACUTE REACTION
- 1 in 100,000 mortality risk (very preventable)
- Often pre-existing cardiac/respiratory problems
- Acute lung injury (TRALI)
-
Transfusion associated circulatory overload (TACO)