HEPATITIS AFTER THE TRANSFUSION OF FROZEN RED-CELLS AND WASHED RED-CELLS

The large-scale use of frozen red cells and washed red cells in this transfusion service has not been effective in reducing post-transfusion hepatitis. Seventy-eight per cent of 31,125 transfusions, excluding platelets and plasma, were given in the form of frozen or washed red cells. These transfusions were associated with 56 cases of hepatitis. In 37 cases, the recipients had received only frozen or washed red cells (or both). Post-transfusion hepatitis was of the non-A, non-B type in 95 per cent of cases. On average, commercial blood accounted for 30 per cent of the donor base during the first four years and was involved in 44 of the 56 cases. Elimination of commercial blood from the donor base resulted in a decrease in the incidence of hepatitis from 2.1 to 0.3 per 1000 transfusions. (N Engl J Med 301:393–395, 1979) THE consensus of reports on post-transfusion hepatitis and the use of frozen or washed red cells is that the use of these blood components virtually eliminates the problem. Bryant1 reported not a single substantiated case of transfusion-induced hepatitis after the transfusion of more than 26,000 units of frozen blood. Sumida2 reported the transfusion of 2544 units of frozen red cells, with a zero incidence of hepatitis. Telischi et al.,3 in a report on 28 months’ experience with frozen red cells in a large transfusion service, stated that they have not seen one case of clinical hepatitis after transfusion of only. © 1979, Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.