[Transfusion-related acute lung injury].

ABSTRACT

Transfusion related acute lung injury develops a few hours after transfusion of blood products and is characterized by fever, chills, severe dyspnea and bilateral crepitations. Chest x-ray reveals diffuse patchy infiltrates and blood gas analysis shows severe hypoxemia. It is caused by an immunologic reaction of antileukocyte antibodies which, in most cases, are transfused with blood products. We present 2 patients with this syndrome who responded to large doses of corticosteroids (1 g methyl prednisolone) and made full recoveries within 96 hours. Medical personnel should be aware of this unique subtype of the adult respiratory distress syndrome, which responds to corticosteroids and has a favorable prognosis.