Fatal pulmonary hypersensitivity reaction to HL-A incompatible blood transfusion:report of a case and review of the literature.

A girl with Thalassemia major reacted to a transfusion of packed red blood cells with increasing respiratory distress until death 12 1/2 hours later. Chills and fever were followed by dry cough, dyspnea, and pulmonary edema. The recipient had lymphocytotoxic antibodies specific for donor leukocyte antigens HL-A11 and possibly W14. At autopsy, the lungs showed pulmonary edema with extensive nonspecific acute alveolar injury. Similar cases in the literature are reviewed.