[Analysis of transfusion incident reports filed at 15 blood transfusion centers and health facilities during 17 months. Groupe Receveurs de laSFTS].

The principal result of the development of hemovigilance since 1994 has been the declaration of undesirable effects likely to be due to transfusions of labile blood products. Using the 1,694 cases of undesirable effects registered, it seemed worthwhile to us to analyze the distribution of the signs noticed, their frequency and the types of blood products responsible. This analysis allowed us to observe that the majority of reactions were shivery-feverish (47%) or allergic (24%). Most of them are linked to platelet concentrate transfusions especially simple donor platelets (with a frequency of ten reactions for thousand apheresis platelet concentrates transfused). In this study the frequency of undesirable effects reported is 2 per 1,000 apheresis platelet concentrate transfusions. Further investigations are necessary to determine the physiological mechanisms of these reactions and to estimate the degree to which transfusions are responsible for their occurrence.