Abstract
Background: Blood and blood components transfusion is a very important component of medical practice and
patients’care. However, this wonderful therapeutic tool is associated with some disadvantages namely adverse
transfusion reactions which in some cases lead to fatal consequences defeating the essence of its usage.
Objectives: This study aims to establish the modes of presentations (signs and symptoms) of blood transfusion
reactions among recipients of blood in Delsuth, Oghara.
Methodology: Records of our patients who were reported to have blood transfusion reactions for a two-year
period (July 2014-June 2016) were retrieved and studied. Data obtained were analysed using SPSS version 22.
Results: The incidence of adverse transfusion reaction was 0.86%. The youngest subject was 2years while the
oldest was 70years. The mean age was 38.69±14.95years while the median age was 40years. The females were
more than the males, 76.1% and 23.9%, respectively. Whole blood transfusion was 93.5% while packed red
blood cells was 6.5%. Chills/rigors (63%) was the leading symptom of presentation followed by fever/pyrexia
(58.7%). Itching/urticaria was 30.4% whereas nausea/vomiting was 19.6%. Hypotension (6.5%), tachypnea
(4.3%) and tachycardia(2.2%) were the clinical signs. About forty- five percent of the transfusion reactions
came from O & G department followed by Surgery department (21.7%), Internal Medicine (17.4%),
Paediatrics(8.7%) and A&E (6.5%). Almost seventy percent (67.4%) of the patients were of blood group O
+ve.
Conclusion/Recommendations: Incidence of transfusion reaction in Delsuth is high. More of adverse
transfusion reactions occur at night. Transfusion of whole blood should be discouraged together with
transfusing a patient at night (except in emergency). Further research is advocated to determine why more
transfusion reactions occur at night.