• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Transfusion News
  • About Us
  • Topics
    • Adverse Events (non-infectious)
    • Blood Donation
    • Cell Therapy
    • Coagulation & Plasma Transfusion
    • Platelet Transfusion
    • Policy and Guidelines
    • Quality Control and Regulatory
    • RBC Transfusion
    • Serology/Genotyping
    • Special Transfusion Situations
    • Transfusion Transmitted Infections
  • Continuing Education
  • Archives
  • Podcasts
  • Question of the Day
  • Search
  • Subscribe to Email Alerts
  • Follow us on
  • Search
  • Subscribe to Email Alerts

Trying to Decipher Relationship between Previously Pregnant Donors and RBC Transfusion-related Mortality

October 25, 2017

Although blood from previously pregnant female donors has been shown to be associated with transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), the relationship between donor history of pregnancy and red blood cell (RBC) transfusion mortality has remained elusive. In order to better understand this relationship, researchers in the Netherlands retrospectively evaluated a cohort of 31,118 first-time transfusion recipients (52% female with a median age of 65 years) that were transfused RBCs collected from three types of donors:  male (88%), females without a history of pregnancy (6%), and females with a history of pregnancy (6%).  Male transfusion recipients had an increased risk of death after transfusion with RBCs collected from females with a history of pregnancy compared to RBCs from male donors (Hazard Ratio=1.13; 95% CI, 1.01-1.26).  However, this trend was not observed in female recipients.  Furthermore, upon stratification by age, the results only remained significant for male transfusion recipients 50 years and younger. Given the differences by age and gender and poor understanding of a possible mechanism, the results from this study are tentative and require further study.

References:

  1. Caram-Deelder C, Kreuger AL, Evers D, et al. Association of blood transfusions from female donors with and without a history of pregnancy with mortality among male and female transfusion recipients. JAMA 2017; 318 (15): 1471-1478.

2. Cable RG and G Edgren. Blood transfusions from previously pregnant women and mortality.  Interpreting the       evidence.  JAMA 2017; 318 (15):  1445-1447

Filed Under

  • Adverse Events (non-infectious)
  • News
  • RBC Transfusion

Recommended

  • Randomized Trial Demonstrates that Hydroxyurea is Not Effective as Transfusion in Preventing Strokes

  • FDA Advisory Committee Supports Molecular Assay

  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplants for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Show Comments

Comments on this article are closed.

Get the latest news. Subscribe to our mailing list. Sign Up

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • Directed Blood Donations Should be Limited

  • Babesia Infection Reduces Red Cell Deformability

  • New Erythropoietin Gene Variants Linked to Hereditary Erythrocytosis

  • Multifaceted Threats to the Blood Supply from Climate Change

    Question of the Day

    Copyright © 2025 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Privacy Policy

    Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies Wiley