Review Article
Year: 2020 | Month: April-June | Volume: 5 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 258-262
Blood Transfusion in Auto-Immune Haemolytic Anaemia
Eswara Prasad Chennamsetty1, Daljit Kaur1, Gita Negi1, Ranjan Mukherjee1, Anju R Kurup1, Sudheer Tale2
1Department of Transfusion Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh
2Department of Pulmonary Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh
Corresponding Author: Eswara Prasad Chennamsetty
ABSTRACT
Auto-immune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) is an immune disease associated with red cell destruction. Transfusion support may be needed to support the anaemia as a result of haemolysis while steroids and other therapies become effective. Autoantibody which reacts with normal red cells pose challenge to identify a compatible unit for transfusion. Prophylactically phenotype matched units are safe for transfusion, but phenotype of the patient is seldom available. It is essential to evaluate for presence of allo-antibody before transfusion and the masking nature of autoantibody makes it more challenging in its identification. Auto- and allo-adsorption can be used if there is enough time available before the patient needs transfusion. Dilution technique can be handy to provide a red cell unit if there is little or no time available for transfusion. Although, transfusion in a case of AIHA comes with risk of reduced survival of red cells post transfusion, often it can be life-saving.
Keywords: Auto-immune haemolytic anaemia, Transfusion, Auto-adsorption, Allo-adsorption, Dilution Technique