Adverse Effects Of Blood Transfusion Practice Test

When a patient is deficient in IgA, they may have antibodies against IgA that can react with IgA present in donor plasma. During a transfusion these anti-IgA antibodies can bind to the IgA in the transfused product and trigger rapid mast cell and basophil degranulation, releasing mediators like histamine that lead to a sudden, life-threatening anaphylactic reaction. This is why anaphylaxis is the transfusion reaction most closely linked to IgA deficiency. Clinically, it presents during the transfusion with symptoms such as abrupt hypotension, bronchospasm or wheezing, flushing or urticaria, and sometimes angioedema, and requires immediate stopping of the transfusion and prompt treatment with epinephrine and supportive care. To reduce risk, use washed red blood cells or plasma from IgA-deficient donors when possible, or avoid IgA-containing products in known IgA-deficient patients. Other reactions—hemolytic, febrile, or transfusion-associated circulatory overload—have different mechanisms (such as ABO incompatibility, cytokine-mediated fever, or volume overload) and do not specifically hinge on IgA deficiency.