Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI) has been diagnosed very rare until recent years. However, the growing interest in TRALI allows to asses, that it is the second commonest cause of transfusion association death. In Poland only single cases of TRALI have been published.
Aim: We analyzed 34 cases with dyspnea reported as a post-transfusion event and examined leukocyte antibodies, which are supposed to be an important pathogenic factor in TRALI.
Results: 34 patients were classified into: the group A--patients with a pulmonary oedema after exclusion of other reasons (TRALI, n= 11); the group B-- patients with pulmonary oedema, but with difficulties to exclude other reasons (possible TRALI, n=15); the group C--post transfusion dyspnea without pulmonary oedema (patients where not classified as the TRALI, n=8). In all the groups other clinical symptoms were also analyzed. The leukocyte antibodies were most often detected in the group A (91%), less often in the group B (53%) and C (37.5%).
Conclusions: Transfusion-related dyspnea should be individually analyzed before the final diagnosis of TRALI. If in the donor of transfused blood the leukocyte antibodies are detected, the "trace back" procedure should be started to see whether in other patients a transfusion-related dyspnea was diagnosed. This procedure is important for potential exclusion of a given donor from blood donation.