Prevalence of transfusion-transmitted Chagas Disease among multitransfused patients in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion has always been an important route for Chagas Disease (CD) transmission. The high prevalence of CD in Latin America and its lifelong asymptomatic clinical picture pose a threat for the safety of the blood supply. The outcome of measures designed to improve transfusion safety can be assessed by evaluating the prevalence of CD among multitransfused patients METHODS: In order to assess the impact of CD control measures on the safety of the blood supply, an observational cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of CD in 351 highly transfused patients, in which vectorial transmission was excluded. This study compared patients that received transfusion products before (n = 230) and after (n = 121) 1997, when measures to control transfusion-transmitted CD were fully implemented in Brazil. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 351 patients exposed to high numbers of blood products during their lifetime (median number of units transfused = 51, range 10-2086). A higher prevalence of transfusion-transmitted CD (1.30%) was observed among multitransfused patients that received their first transfusion before 1997, compared with no cases of transfusion-transmitted CD among multitransfused patients transfused after that year. The magnitude of the exposure to blood products was similar among both groups (mean number of units transfused per year of exposure = 25.00 +/- 26.46 and 23.99 +/- 30.58 respectively; P = 0.75, Mann-Whitney test). CONCLUSION: Multiple initiatives aimed to control vector and parental transmission of CD can significantly decrease transfusion-transmitted CD in Brazil. Our data suggest that mandatory donor screening for CD represents the most important measure to interrupt transmission of CD by blood transfusions.

Deferasirox associated with liver failure and death in a sickle cell anemia patient homozygous for the -1774delG polymorphism in the Abcc2 gene.

This manuscript describes the case of a patient with sickle cell anemia who died of fulminant hepatitis after therapy with the iron chelator Deferasirox. The patient was homozygous for the -1774delG polymorphism in the Abcc2 gene, which raises the concern about the use of hepatotoxic drugs in this specific context.

Transfusion-transmitted infections among multi-transfused patients in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Transfusion-transmitted infections (TTI) continue to be a problem in many parts of the world, and multi-transfused patients (MTP) are at a particularly increased risk of TTI. OBJECTIVES: to estimate the prevalence of TTI among multi-transfused patients in Brazil, and to understand the epidemiological characteristics of TTI among these patients. STUDY DESIGN: cross-sectional study of 353 MTP, who were interviewed using a structured questionnaire and tested for serological markers of hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. RESULTS: the overall prevalence of HCV, HIV, HBV and co-infection among MTP were 16.7%, 1.7%, 0.8% and 1.7% respectively. A dose-effect relationship could be detected between the number of units transfused and HCV infection. Other non-transfusion related (NTR) risk factors for HCV did not confer any excess risk of HCV infection to MTP. CONCLUSIONS: HCV infection was the most prevalent TTI among MTP, and remains a major health problem for these patients. A dose-effect relationship could be detected between HCV and the number of units transfused. The implementation of measures such as donor education programs, standards for donor selection criteria, and of improved serological screening protocols, paralleled the decline in the prevalence of TTI, specially of HCV, observed in MTP, underscoring the importance of such measures for the reduction of the residual risk of TTI.

Molecular matching for Rh and K reduces red blood cell alloimmunisation in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Matching for Rh and K antigens has been used in an attempt to reduce antibody formation in patients receiving chronic transfusions but an extended phenotype matching including Fy(a) and Jk(a) antigens has also been recommended. The aim of this study was to identify an efficient transfusion protocol of genotype matching for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia. We also examined a possible association of HLA class II alleles with red blood cell (RBC) alloimmunisation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 43 patients with MDS undergoing transfusion therapy with and without antibody formation. We investigated antigen-matched RBC units for ABO, D, C, c, E, e, K, Fy(a), Fy(b), Jk(a), Jk(b), S, s, Do(a), Do(b) and Di(a) on the patients' samples and on the donor units serologically matched for them based on their ABO, Rh and K phenotypes and presence of antibodies. We also determined the frequencies of HLA-DRB1 alleles in the alloimmunised and non-alloimmunised patients. RESULTS: Seventeen of the 43 patients had discrepancies or mismatches for multiple antigens between their genotype-predicted profile and the antigen profile of the units of blood serologically matched for them. We verified that 36.8% of patients had more than one RBC alloantibody and 10.5% of patients had autoantibodies. Although we were able to find a better match for the patients in our extended genotyped/phenotyped units, we verified that matching for Rh and K would be sufficient for most of the patients. We also observed an over-representation of the HLA-DRB1*13 allele in the non-alloimmunised group of patients with MDS. DISCUSSION: In our population molecular matching for C, c, E, e, K was able to reduce RBC alloimmunisation in MDS patients. An association of HLA-DRB1*13 and protection from RBC alloimmunisation should be confirmed.

Liver transplantation in a patient with S(beta)o-thalassemia.

BACKGROUND: Patients presenting sickle cell disease may develop different types of hepatic complications. Intrahepatic cholestasis is a potentially fatal complication of the disease, and sometimes the only possible solution is transplantation. Postoperative transfusion management has not yet been well established. In this report, we describe the transfusional program of a patient presenting sickle cell disease and intrahepatic cholestasis who underwent liver transplantation 2 years ago. METHODS: Data were obtained from the chart and the blood bank records. RESULTS: The liver transplantation was performed successfully. Despite mild allograft dysfunction 3 months after surgery, secondary to intrahepatic sickling, the patient has been doing well with the transfusional management adopted (sickle-cell hemoglobin <20%). CONCLUSION: Sickle cell disease should not be a criterion for exclusion from liver transplantation. Regular transfusion with monitoring of sickle-cell hemoglobin is a very important measure to minimize the risk of intrahepatic sickling and possible rejection.

Autologous Platelet Gel: Five Cases Illustrating Use on Sickle Cell Disease Ulcers.

Leg ulcers represent a particularly disabling complication in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Platelet gel (PG) is a novel therapeutic strategy used for accelerating wound healing of a wide range of tissues through the continuous release of platelet growth factors. Here, we describe the use of PG preparation according to Anitua's PRGF (preparations rich in growth factors) protocol for treating chronic nonhealing ulcers in patients with SCD. A positive response occurred in 3 patients with an area reduction of 85.7% to 100%, which occurred within 7 to 10 weeks, and a 35.2% and 20.5% of area reduction in 2 other patients, who however, had large ulcers. After calcium chloride addition, the platelet-rich plasmas demonstrated enhanced platelet-derived growth factors-BB (P < .001), transforming growth factor-ß1 (P = .015), vascular endothelial growth factors (P = .03), and hepatocyte growth factors (nonsignificant) secretion. Furthermore, calcium chloride addition induced a significant decrease in platelet number (P = .0134) and there was no leukocyte detection in the PG product. These results demonstrate that PG treatment might impact the healing of leg ulcers in sickle cell disease, especially in patients with small ulcers.