Pulmonary reaction associated with transfusion of plasma containing anti-5b

A patient developed an acute respiratory distress syndrome with lung infiltrates during a transfusion of plasma. The transfused plasma was shown to contain a potent leucocyte agglutinating antibody of IgG type with anti-5b specificity, reactive with the patient's cells. A review of the literature on similar transfusion-related syndromes showed an association with more of less well-defined white cell antibodies, mainly in the donors' plasma. The majority of donors were multiparous women. The anti-5b in our donor was demonstrated only by granulocyte agglutination technique, as previously described antibodies in the five system. A long incubation procedure (20-25 h) seemed to be optimal for granulocyte agglutination.