Transfusion characteristics and hemovigilance of pediatric cancer patients A single-center observational study.

Abstract

Introduction: Transfusion therapy is not risk-free, and hemato-oncological patients are the most commonly transfused patients; hence, hemovigilance is needed. The objective of the present study was to identify the transfusion characteristics and hemovigilance of pediatric patients with cancer at the SOLCA Institute-Cuenca from January to December 2021.

Method: A descriptive study was carried out with all patients under 18 years of age who required transfusions, and all blood transfusions were performed at SOLCA-Cuenca 2021. The data were collected in a previously validated form and analyzed with the SPSS v25.0 program; the results are presented as the frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation.

Results: A total of 73 patients and 620 transfusions were studied; 45.2% were adolescents, 63% were male, 98.6% were mixed race, 76.7% were urban, and 83.5% were ORH+ patients. B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (49.3%) and induction chemotherapy (41.1%) were used. A total of 58.9% had a transfusion history, and 4.1% had a previous reaction (urticaria). The average number of transfusions per patient was 8.49, and 7.1% of the patients were premedicated with steroids. Concentrated erythrocytes were mainly transfused (49%) for anemia (95.4%) at 9.32 ml/kg (mean) in 121 to 180 minutes (56.9%). Of the 3.1% of reactions detected, 100% were immediate, 84.2% were noninfectious (urticaria), definitive, and were treated with medications (84.2% steroid); 79% of the reactions were mild; they were secondary to erythrocyte concentrates (47.4%), apheresis (47.4%) and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (31.5%).

Conclusions: Patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia required additional blood transfusions, mainly erythrocyte concentrates, while transfusion reactions were frequently associated with erythrocyte concentrates and apheresis.