• 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

NT-proBNP Levels May Help Diagnose TACO and TRALI

December 9, 2020

Distinguishing between transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO), transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), and other pulmonary transfusion reactions, including transfused-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), remains difficult.  ARDS may be a risk for TRALI and complex cases of both TACO and TRALI may occur.  Several biomarkers have been investigated in order to distinguish between these pulmonary transfusion reactions, including natriuretic peptides.  Natriuretic peptides, such as N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), are hormones released by cardiac myocytes in response to increased blood volume or ventricular wall stress.  In order to investigate the levels of NT-proBNP in pulmonary transfusion reactions, a case-control study was performed with data collected from the NHLBI Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study-III (REDS-III).   NT-proBNP levels were compared before and after transfusion in 160 patients with TACO, 51 patients with ARDS, 12 patients with TRALI, 7 patients with TACO and TRALI, and 335 control patients.  Patients with ARDS and TACO had higher levels of NT-proBNP pre-transfusion compared to controls (P<0.001 both).  NT-proBNP levels were not elevated in TRALI (P=0.31) and TACO/TRALI (P=0.23) patients compared to controls.  However, NT-proBNP levels were higher in TRALI and ARDS cases with sepsis comparted to cases without sepsis (P<0.05).  Further studies are needed to investigate the prognostic utility of NT-proBNP levels for pulmonary transfusion reactions.

Reference:

  1. Roubinian NG, Chowdhury D, Hendrickson JE, Triulzi DJ, et al.  NT-proBNP levels in the identification and classification of pulmonary transfusion reactions.  Transfusion 2020; 60; 2548-2556.   

Filed Under

  • Adverse Events (non-infectious)
  • CME
  • News

Recommended

  • Prothrombin Complex Concentrate Increases Risk of Thromboembolic Events in Trauma Patients

  • Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections Do Not Reduce Tendon Dysfunction in Patients with Chronic Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy

  • New Drug, Enasidenib, Enhances Erythroid Differentiation and Lessens Anemia

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