a. What is a transfusion reaction and why does it happen?
b. What are its possible consequences?

Question

Accepted Answer

Hi, everybody. Let's look at our next question. It says what type of transfusion reaction happens when the recipient's immune system recognizes the transfused red blood cells as foreign and attacks them leading to the destruction of the red blood cells. A allergic transfusion reaction. B febrile, nonhemolytic transfusion reaction. C, hemolytic transfusion reaction or D transfusion related acute lung injury or trolley T R A L I. Well, the key here that we want to look for is that this transfusion reaction leads to the destruction of red blood cells. It might be a bit tempting to look at the allergic transfusion reaction. But an allergic reaction is different from the recipient's immune system, recognizing foreign cells and targeting them. So if we look at the term destruction of red blood cells that can help us zoom in on our correct answer, which is choice c hemolytic transfusion reaction. Since that hemolytic descriptor will tell us that red blood cells are being destroyed by this reaction. Let's look at our other answer. Choices. Uh We talked about choice, a allergic transfusion reaction. So this would actually be a response, an allergic response, triggered substances like plasma proteins or white blood cells that were present in donated blood, as we know, allergic reactions usually happen in response to proteins. So that's why that's not our correct answer. Even though it is a response to foreign cells, it's not the same thing as a response to just the body, recognizing a cell as foreign and destroying it versus an allergic reaction to a specific protein. Then we move on to choice B feb non hemolytic transfusion reaction. So here, the key is we have this phrase nonhemolytic. So we're not having the destruction of red blood cells. And in this case, this is a reaction that involves the development of a fever during or shortly after transfusion. But again, it doesn't involve the destruction of blood cells. So not what we're looking for and finally choice d transfusion related acute lung injury or trolley. This is a severe and potentially life threatening reaction which involves the sudden onset of acute respiratory distress after transfusion. It's not fully understood, but it's thought to possibly be caused by the activation of the recipients neutrophils by antibodies from the donor. And an interesting little side note is that um the risk factor that seems to be present is that it can happen after a donation from a female donor who has been pregnant. And it's thought that some of the fetal cells remaining in the female donor's body uh cause her to have antibodies that if especially if her Children have been a different blood type. So just an interesting little side note of one of the things that's thought to cause this trolley reaction, but it's not what we're looking for. So choice D can be eliminated. So again, the type of transfusion reaction that happens when the recipient's immune system recognizes the transfused red blood cells as foreign and attacks them with destruction of the red blood cells. Is choice c hemolytic transfusion reaction. See you in the next video.

a. What is a transfusion reaction and why does it happen? b. What are its possible consequences?

Verified Solution

Key Concepts

Transfusion Reaction

Blood Type Compatibility

Consequences of Transfusion Reactions