Risk of Transfusion Complication: A Systematic Review of Iranian Literature

Background and aims: Injecting healthy blood on time can save patients’ lives; on the other hand, delaying the start of transfusion or injecting unhealthy and wrong blood can cause fatal risks. This study aimed to survey the risks of transfusion events as a systematic review. Methods: In this systematic review, the data associated with transfusion complications were collected by reviewing the literature published from ۲۰۰۱ to ۲۰۲۳ and indexed in various databases using related keywords. Then, the articles were included according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The collected data were recorded in Excel, and conclusions were drawn based on the available data. Results: The findings of this study revealed that the most important complications in patients who had blood transfusion are alloimmunization against Rh antigens (mainly anti-E, anti-D, anti-C, and anti-c) and anti-Kell alloantibodies, especially in patients with thalassemia. Although some cases of ABO antigens and anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) were also reported, allergic and febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTRs) occurred mainly in the Iranian population. Conclusion: The results showed that the risks of blood transfusion generally include complications that may be preventable by better pretransfusion assessment and monitoring, and many of them can be prevented by strengthening the hemovigilance system and improving the equipment and skills of the staff. Consequently, most transfusion reactions can be prevented and reduced.