The role of tocilizumab in the treatment of post-transfusion hyperhaemolysis

Naeem Desai1, Jayne Peters1,2, Elizabeth Davies1

  • 1Haematology Manchester Royal Infirmary Manchester UK.

Ejhaem
|November 29, 2023
PubMed

Hyperhaemolysis syndrome (HHS) is a serious complication of transfusion mostly reported in patients with sickle cell disease. HHS is characterised by the destruction of both donor and autologous red blood cells. Tocilizumab is a recombinant humanised monoclonal antibody that inhibits the binding of interleukin-6 and has been used in the treatment of severe/critical coronavirus disease 2019 infection but also some cases of HHS. We describe two further cases of HHS successfully treated with tocilizumab and propose a decision aid for when to consider this treatment.

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