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Report of anaphylactic-type reactions seemingly associated with 7-day platelet products

A Director of Laboratory Services at a hospital in Missouri reports that their hospital has had three patients react with anaphylactic-type reactions (hives, itching, decrease blood pressure, or a combination of these) to 7-day platelet products within the past 3 weeks. According to the reporting individual "Two of the patients were not premedicated with benadryl, but the third was. Two of the patients were oncology patients, the other was a GI bleed." The reporting individual adds that they have reported these events to their blood supplier. They have tried to determine if some other common cause, other than the blood products. They are part of a group purchasing organization and multi-hospital health care system, with at least 6 hospitals in their area all using the same brands of IV catheter, tubing, fluids, etc. The common factor seems to be the 7-day product. The question being posed is "Is anyone else seeing a similar reaction to this new product?"

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Ira A. Shulman, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Editor & Moderator

W. Tait Stevens, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Assistant Editor & Moderator
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Posted: March 23, 2007

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