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Multicenter Study
. 2024 Sep-Oct;38(5):2495-2506.
doi: 10.1111/jvim.17175. Epub 2024 Sep 6.

A prospective multicenter observational study assessing incidence and risk factors for acute blood transfusion reactions in dogs

Georgina B F Hall  1 , Rachael Birkbeck  2 , Benjamin M Brainard  3 , Fernanda Camacho  4 , Elizabeth B Davidow  5 , Dana N LeVine  6 , Andrew Mackin  7 , Taylor Moss  6 , Katherine J Nash  8 , Giacomo Stanzani  9 , Daria Starybrat  10 , David Q Stoye  11 , Carolyn Tai  12 , John Thomason  7 , Julie M Walker  13 , K Jane Wardrop  14 , Helen Wilson  15 , Virginie A Wurlod  16 , Karen Humm  1
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

A prospective multicenter observational study assessing incidence and risk factors for acute blood transfusion reactions in dogs

Georgina B F Hall et al. J Vet Intern Med. 2024 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

Background: Reported incidence of blood transfusion reactions (TR) varies greatly.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate the incidence of acute TRs in dogs receiving allogenic blood products, using consensus definitions, and to assess factors associated with TRs.

Animals: Dogs (n = 858) administered allogenic blood products (n = 1542) between March and November 2022.

Methods: Prospective, multicenter surveillance study occurring in referral hospitals in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia recording TRs in dogs administered blood products as defined by the consensus guidelines published by The Association of Veterinary Hematology and Transfusion Medicine in 2021.

Results: The incidence of acute TR was 8.9% (95% CI 7.0-11.1) for packed red blood cells (pRBCs) and 4.5% (95% CI 2.9-6.6) for plasma products. The most frequently reported TRs were febrile nonhemolytic TRs (FNHTR; 4%, 95% CI 2.8-5.5) when administering pRBCs and allergic TRs (3.2%, 95% CI 1.80-5.10) when administering plasma products. A higher dose of pRBC (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.04 [95% CI 1.00-1.08]) was associated with a higher odds of TR. Administration of pRBCs stored for longer than 28 days was associated with higher odds of FNHTR (aOR 4.10 [95% CI 1.58-10.65]) and acute hemolytic TR (AHTR; OR 15.2 [95% CI 3.35-68.70]) when compared with pRBCs stored for 14 days or fewer. Leukoreduction of pRBC was not associated with lower odds of developing a TR (OR 1.47 [95% CI 0.89-2.42]).

Conclusions and clinical importance: Clinicians should be mindful of the age and dose of pRBC prescribed to dogs.

Keywords: AHTR; FNHTR; TACO; TRALI; dog; leukoreduction; storage lesion.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Stacked bar chart showing the relative incidences of each reported category of transfusion reactions for each blood product type in 1542 blood transfusions in dogs. AHTR, acute hemolytic transfusion reaction; FNHTR, febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reaction; pRBC, packed red blood cell; TACO, transfusion‐associated circulatory overload.; TAD, transfusion‐associated dyspnea; WB, whole blood.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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