Low incidence of post-transfusion hepatitis in patients with liver cirrhosis

A study has been undertaken to determine the incidence of post-transfusion hepatitis in 57 patients with liver cirrhosis (non-B type) and 93 cases without liver disease, who received blood transfusion during major surgery. A significantly lower incidence of post-transfusion hepatitis (5.3%) was found in patients with liver cirrhosis than in those (17.2%) without liver disease. Two out of three cirrhotic patients with post-transfusion hepatitis progressed to the clinical state of hepatic failure.