How can febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions be effectively prevented?

Febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTR) are among the most common complications of blood transfusions. They typically occur due to an immune response to white blood cells or other blood components within the transfused product. The effective prevention of these reactions focuses primarily on minimizing the presence of leukocytes in blood products.

Using leukoreduced blood products is particularly effective because the process of leukoreduction significantly lowers the number of white blood cells in the transfused blood. This reduction decreases the likelihood of the recipient’s immune system reacting to these cells, which is a primary trigger for FNHTR. The leukoreduction process can be accomplished through filtration methods before the blood product is collected or during processing, greatly diminishing the chances of febrile reactions.

While other methods, such as irradiating blood products or using washed red blood cells, may have specific indications or effects on other types of transfusion reactions, they are not as effective at preventing FNHTR compared to leukoreduction. Irradiation is primarily aimed at preventing transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease, and washed red blood cells can be useful for certain allergic reactions but do not specifically target the mechanisms causing FNHTR. Low-titer group O blood might