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Review
. 2022 Apr 30;57(S1):6-10.
doi: 10.5045/br.2022.2021229.

Evaluation and management of platelet transfusion refractoriness

Hee-Jeong Youk  1 , Sang-Hyun Hwang  1 , Heung-Bum Oh  1 , Dae-Hyun Ko  1
Affiliations
Review

Evaluation and management of platelet transfusion refractoriness

Hee-Jeong Youk et al. Blood Res. .

Abstract

Platelet transfusion refractoriness (PTR), in which platelet counts do not increase after transfusion, occurs in many patients receiving platelet transfusions. PTR is a clinical condition that can harm patients. The causes of PTR can be divided into two types: immune and non-immune. Most cases of PTR are non-immune. Among immune causes, the most common is human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules. PTR caused by anti-HLA antibodies is usually managed by transfusing HLA-matched platelets. Therefore, it is important, especially for hemato-oncologists who frequently perform transfusion, to accurately diagnose whether the cause of platelet transfusion failure is alloimmune or non-immunological when determining the treatment direction for the patient. In this review, we discuss the definitions, causes, countermeasures, and prevention methods of PTR.

Keywords: HLA-matched; Human leukocyte antigen; Platelet count; Platelet transfusion; Platelet transfusion refractoriness.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors’ Disclosures of Potential Conflicts of Interest

No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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