Determinants of Adverse Transfusion Reactions at Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, Delta State, Nigeria

Background: Blood transfusion is a very essential part of medical practice. However, blood and blood component transfusions are associated with some adverse transfusion reactions. Some of these reactions can lead to loss of patients’ lives and hence defeating the essence of blood usage in saving lives.

Objectives: This study aims to establish those factors promoting and increasing the susceptibility of patients for adverse transfusion reactions.

Methodology: Two-year records (July 2014-June 2016) of our patients reported to have blood transfusion reactions were retrieved, data collated and analysed using IBM SPSS version 22 software.

Results: Forty-six cases out of 5,342 transfusions were reported giving a prevalence of 0.86%. The youngest case was two years while the oldest was 70 years. The mean age was 38.69±14.95 years. Thirty five (76.1%) of the cases were females while 11(23.9%) were males. Chills/rigors (63%) and fever/pyrexia (58.7%) were the major presenting symptoms. Fourteen of the cases (30.4%) complained of itching/urticaria while 19.6% presented with nausea/vomiting. The clinical signs were hypotension (6.5%), tachypnea (4.3%) and tachycardia (2.2%). The adverse transfusion reactions were mainly associated with whole blood (93.5%) and 58.7% of the reactions occurred at night. Anaemia was the major indication for the transfusions (80.4%). Twenty-seven of the subjects (58.7%) had above the normal body temperature. Thirty four of the cases (73.9%) had earlier been transfused in the past while (26.1%) were being transfused the first time. On the other hand 93.5% of the cases have never experienced any form of adverse transfusion reactions while only 6.5% have had transfusion reactions previously.

Conclusion: We conclude that gender of the patient, age, component of blood being transfused and history of previous blood transfusions play determining factors on adverse transfusion reactions. Detailed transfusion history will go a long way in preventing adverse transfusion reactions.