Biological investigations of transfusion reactions: Contribution of symptom-based decisional algorithms

While transfusion is a common and safe therapeutic procedure in health care facilities, transfusion reactions can occur, whether acute or delayed, mild or life-threatening. In face of these reactions, the biological analysis laboratory plays a central role in their diagnosis. The objective of this article is to develop decisional algorithms for laboratory tests to be performed according to the clinical symptoms developed by the patient during or after transfusion.

Based on the information collected by reviewing the literature and the procedures used in our hospital, we then developed biological investigation algorithms according to the symptoms presented by the patient, rather than the presumed reaction.

We have developed symptom-based algorithms for acute transfusion reactions management that streamline laboratory testing and simplify the differential diagnosis.