Typically occurs 2-6 weeks after transfusion of PRBC
Rare
High risk groups: neonates/ post-cardiac surgery/ leukemia/ transplant recipients/ other severely immunocompromised patients (has not been reported in AIDS)
Physiology
Immunocompetent lymphocyte transfusion into immunocompromised recipient -> proliferation of donor lymphocytes -> response to host’s HLA antigens
Diagnosis
CHEM: elevated LFT’s
Skin Bx: diagnostic of GVHD
Clinical
Fever:
Rash:
Treatment
Irradiation of blood products (whole blood/ PRBC/ platelets) before use
Especially for ICU patients receiving family-donated blood products
