Severe transfusion-related acute lung injury

A 46-yr-old man developed severe hypoxemia, pulmonary infiltrates, and an acute decrease in his leukocyte count shortly after transfusion of fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) during recovery from cardiac surgery. Cardiogenic pulmonary edema was excluded. Granulocyte-reactive and agglutinating alloantibodies were detected in the serum of the fresh-frozen plasma donor. The cross-match with the patient's granulocytes revealed antibodies specific for HLA class I. Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a potentially life-threatening, under-reognized and under-reported complication of transfusion. Conservative transfusion strategies and preclusion of the implicated blood donors with granulocyte-reactive antibodies from future blood donation may prevent TRALI and could save lives.