Many, but not all, outcome studies support exclusion of female plasma from the blood supply

Abstract

Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) has been identified as the most common cause of transfusion-related death. Although extensive literature supports restrictions on female-donor plasma to reduce antibody-mediated TRALI, only a few outcome studies have assessed for effects of this change, and some, but not all, have endorsed the policy. A recent report even suggests poorer outcomes in cardiac surgery patients with a shift to male-donor-only plasma, raising concerns that TRALI alone, whether catastrophic or more survivable, is insufficient compared with broader measures, such as short-term mortality or long-term survival, as an end point to assess for overall improvements in patient care.

Keywords::

• acute lung injury
• cardiac surgery
• critical illness
• donor gender
• plasma
• transfusion complications

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.