Ann Lab Med.  2016 Jul;36(4):335-341. 10.3343/alm.2016.36.4.335.

Serious Adverse Transfusion Reactions Reported in the National Recipient-Triggered Trace Back System in Korea (2006-2014)

• Kwon JR
• Won EJ
• Jo HJ
• Choi SR
• Lee K
• Kim S
• Ahn HS
• Choi YS
• Cho D
• Lee DH

• KMID: 2373553
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3343/alm.2016.36.4.335

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Adverse transfusion reactions (ATRs) are clinically relevant to patients with significant morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to review the cases of ATR reported in the recipient-triggered trace back system for a recent nine-year period in Korea.
METHODS
Nine-year data obtained from 2006 to 2014 by the trace back system at the Division of Human Blood Safety Surveillance of the Korean Centers for Disease Control (KCDC) were reviewed. The suspected cases were assessed according to six categories: (i) related to, (ii) probably related to, (iii) probably not related to, (iv) not related to transfusion, (v) unable to investigate, and (vi) under investigation.
RESULTS
Since 2006, 199 suspected serious ATRs were reported in hospitals and medical institutions in Korea, and these ATRs were reassessed by the division of Human Blood Safety Surveillance of the KCDC. Among the reported 193 cases as transfusion related infections, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (135, 67.8%) was reported most frequently, followed by hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (27, 13.6%), HIV infection (13, 6.5%), syphilis (9, 4.5%), malarial infection (4, 2.0%), other bacterial infections (3, 1.5%), HTLV infection (1, 0.5%), and scrub typhus infection (1, 0.5%), respectively. Of the 199 cases, 13 (6.5%) cases were confirmed as transfusion-related (3 HCV infections, 3 malarial infections, 1 HBV infection, 2 Staphylococcus aureus sepsis, 3 transfusion-related acute lung injuries, and 1 hemolytic transfusion reaction).
CONCLUSIONS
This is the first nationwide data regarding serious ATRs in Korea and could contribute to the implementation of an effective hemovigilance system.

Keyword

Adverse transfusion reactions; Trace back system; Korea; Hemovigilance system

MeSH Terms

Acute Lung Injury/epidemiology/etiology
Blood Transfusion/*adverse effects
HIV Infections/epidemiology/etiology
Hepatitis C/epidemiology/etiology
Humans
Malaria/epidemiology/etiology
Republic of Korea
Retrospective Studies
Transfusion Reaction/*etiology

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Flowchart of trace back system for the report and investigation of transfusion-related adverse reactions in Korean Hemovigilance System.Abbreviation: KCDC, Korean Centers for Disease Control.

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  Fig. 2 Annual reported cases of suspected adverse reactions by the trace back system in Korea, 2006-2014.Abbreviations: HBV, hepatitis B virus; HCV, hepatitis C virus; HTLV, human T cell leukemia virus.

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