Transfusion-Associated Graft-Versus-Host Disease and Microchimerism
Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD) and transfusion-associated microchimerism (TA-MC) both result from the persistence of donor allogeneic leucocytes in transfusion recipients. TA-GVHD is a rare and highly fatal complication of cellular blood component transfusion that presents clinically as graft-versus-host disease with bone marrow aplasia. Because of the nearly universal mortality and limited potential treatment options, TA-GVHD is mitigated by irradiation or leucocyte inactivation using pathogen inactivation technologies of cellular blood components administered to susceptible patients. TA-MC, the persistence of donor leucocytes for prolonged periods of time following transfusion, has been most commonly reported in trauma patients. Like TA-GVHD, TA-MC is prevented by irradiation of cellular blood components but not by leucocyte reduction. In contrast to TA-GVHD, no clinically significant consequences have been reported with TA-MC. This edition first published 2013 © 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
