Hemovigilance- Recipient and Donor Reaction Reporting: An Active Surveillance

Abstract Background Hemovigilance involves the identification, monitoring, reporting, and analysis of adverse events related to blood transfusion and donation. Aims To determine the pattern, incidence and causality of transfusion-related reactions Methods A prospective, active surveillance study was conducted over a period of six months. All patients of any sex admitted to various specialties who received blood or blood components and reported to have had transfusion reactions during or after transfusion were included in the study. The causative component, category, severity, and causality of the reactions were evaluated using the National Institute of Biological Scale. Data were analyzed categorically and are presented as n (%). Results A total of 5274 units were transfused during the study period, with [3494 (66.25%)] units transfused to male patients and [1780 (33.75%)] units to female patients. Packed red blood cells (PRBCs) were the most frequently transfused [2664 (50.5%)]. Of all the transfusions, 28 (0.53%) transfusion reactions (TR) were identified and reported. The most common TR recorded was febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions [20 (71.42%)], followed by allergic transfusion reactions [7 (25%)]. Most TRs were associated with PRBC transfusions [18 (64.28%)]. The causality of the [19 (67.85%)] reactions was identified as definite. A total of 2194 blood donations were recorded, of which [21 (0.95%)] donor reactions were reported. Conclusion The incidence of transfusion and donor reactions was 0.53% and 0.95%, respectively. A clinical pharmacist may assist in the active surveillance of TRs and assignment of the pattern of transfusion reactions.