Allergic transfusion reaction

To prevent allergic transfusion reaction it is possible to use patients own blood for transfusion, this is referred to as autologous blood transfusion. Patients' own blood is collected and washed to produce concentrated red blood cells (this blood product is also called packed red blood cells). There are multiple ways to wash red blood cells. The two main methods that are used to wash the cells are centrifugation, or filtration methods like the Hemoclear microfilter. The last option is reinfusion without washing. This is the least preferred method because of the chance of complications.^[10]

There is no evidence that antihistamine premedication prevents allergic transfusion reactions, although these drugs can mitigate symptoms once they occur.^[11][12][3]

Treatment of an allergic transfusion reaction is to immediately stop the transfusion. If the only symptoms are mild (i.e., hives and itching), the patient may be treated with an antihistamine and if the symptoms completely disappear and the patient feels well, the transfusion may be restarted. A mild transfusion reaction during infusion usually does not progress to a more severe anaphylactic reaction after infusion of additional product from the same unit.^[3] If the symptoms are more than mild, the transfusion should not be restarted.^{[citation needed]}