Detection of adverse events of transfusion in a teaching hospital in Ghana.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Monitoring the whole chain of events from the blood donors to recipients, documenting any undesirable or untoward effects and introducing measures to prevent their recurrence if possible are components of haemovigilance systems. Only few sub-Saharan African countries have haemovigilance systems, and there are very little data on adverse events of transfusion. Adverse events monitoring is an integral part of a haemovigilance system. Our study aimed to establish the incidence and types of adverse events of transfusions in Ghana and to identify interventions to improve effectiveness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective observational 1-year study enrolled 372 recipients of 432 transfusions in a Ghanaian teaching hospital. Vital signs were monitored at 15, 30 and 60 min intervals during the transfusion, then 8 h until 24 h post-transfusion. Three investigators independently classified any new signs and symptoms according to Serious Hazards of Transfusion definitions. RESULTS: The adverse events incidence was 21·3% (92/432), predominantly mild acute transfusion reactions (84%). A total of 20 transfusions (4·6%) were stopped before completion, 60% of them for mild febrile reactions, which could have been managed with transfusion in situ. CONCLUSION: This prospective study indicates a high incidence of adverse events of transfusion in Kumasi, Ghana. The significant numbers of discontinued transfusions suggest that guidelines on how to manage transfusion reactions would help preserve scarce blood stocks. Gradual implementation of a haemovigilance system, starting with monitoring adverse transfusion events, is a pragmatic approach in resource-limited settings.

Bioavailability and preliminary clinical efficacy of intrarectal artesunate in Ghanaian children with moderate malaria.

We report the first detailed pharmacokinetic assessment of intrarectal (i.r.) artesunate (ARS) in African children. Artesunate was given intravenously (i.v.; 2.4 mg/kg of body weight) and i.r. (10 or 20 mg/kg formulated as 50- or 200-mg suppositories [Rectocaps]) in a crossover study design to 34 Ghanaian children with moderate falciparum malaria. The median relative bioavailability of dihydroartemisinin (DHA), the active antimalarial metabolite of ARS, was higher in the low-dose i.r. group (10 mg/kg) than in the high-dose i.r. group (20 mg/kg) (58 versus 23%; P = 0.018). There was wide interpatient variation in the area under the concentration-time curve after i.r. ARS administration (up to 9-fold in the high-dose group and 20-fold in the low-dose group). i.r. administered ARS was more rapidly absorbed in the low-dose group than the high-dose group (median [range] absorption half-lives, 0.7 h [0.3 to 1.24 h] versus 1.1 h [0.6 to 2.7 h] [P = 0.023]. i.r. administered ARS was eliminated with a median (range) half-life of 0.8 h (0.4 to 2.7 h) (low-dose group and 0.9 h (0.1 to 2.5 h) (high-dose group) (P = 1). The fractional clearances of DHA were 3.9, 2.6, and 1.5 liters/kg/h for the 20-mg/kg, 10-mg/kg and i.v. groups, respectively (P = 0.001 and P = 0.06 for the high-and low-dose i.r. groups compared with the i.v. groups, respectively). The median volumes of distribution for DHA were 1.5 liters kg (20 mg/kg, i.r. group), 1.8 liters/kg (10 mg/kg, i.r. group), and 0.6 liters/kg (i.v. group) (P < 0.05 for both i.r. groups compared with the i.v. group). Parasite clearance kinetics were comparable in all treatment groups. i.r. administered ARS may be a useful alternative to parenterally administered ARS in the management of moderate childhood malaria and should be studied further.