Transfusion‐related adverse reactions reported to the N ational H ealthcare S afety N etwork H emovigilance M odule, U nited S tates, 2010 to 2012

Background In 2010, health care facilities in the U nited S tates began voluntary enrollment in the N ational H ealthcare S afety N etwork ( NHSN ) H emovigilance M odule. Participants report transfusion practices; red blood cell, platelet ( PLT ), plasma, and cryoprecipitate units transfused; and transfusion‐related adverse reactions and process errors to the C enters for D isease C ontrol and P revention through a secure, I nternet‐accessible surveillance application available to transfusing facilities. Study Design and Methods Facilities submitting at least 1 month of transfused components data and adverse reactions from J anuary 1, 2010, to D ecember 31, 2012, were included in this analysis. Adverse reaction rates for transfused components, stratified by component type and collection and modification methods, were calculated. Results In 2010 to 2012, a total of 77 facilities reported 5136 adverse reactions among 2,144,723 components transfused (239.5/100,000). Allergic (46.8%) and febrile nonhemolytic (36.1%) reactions were most frequent; 7.2% of all reactions were severe or life‐threatening and 0.1% were fatal. PLT transfusions (421.7/100,000) had the highest adverse reaction rate. Conclusion Adverse transfusion reaction rates from the NHSN H emovigilance M odule in the U nited S tates are comparable to early hemovigilance reporting from other countries. Although severe reactions are infrequent, the numbers of transfusion reactions in US hospitals suggest that interventions to prevent these reactions are important for patient safety. Further investigation is needed to understand the apparent increased risk of reactions from apheresis‐derived blood components. Comprehensive evaluation, including data validation, is important to continued refinement of the module.