Pediatric blood transfusions in Colombia: Dissecting adverse reaction trends and age dynamics

Background: Adverse transfusion reactions (ATRs) represent undesired responses in patients. Different reports indicate that rates of ATRs are 1.3–2.6 times higher in pediatric populations compared with adults. The aim of this study was to investigate whether similar trends are observed within the pediatric population in Colombia. Study Design and Methods: This retrospective study, conducted from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2022, investigated transfusion occurrences and ATRs. Data were collected from the National Hemovigilance Information System. ATRs were reported by medical personnel using standardized forms following guidelines set by the International Society of Blood Transfusion. Results: The study included 2,097,179 patients receiving 6,637,363 transfusions, with 6830 ATRs. In comparison with adult transfusions, pediatric transfusions exhibit a male bias, a higher rate of ATRs per 10,000 transfused patients (79.4 vs. 27.7), a greater prevalence of allergic reactions and a lower incidence of febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTRs). The rate of ATRs varied across age groups: 17.1 for those aged 0–1 year, 120.5 for individuals aged 2–14 years, 42.5 for people aged 15–65 years, and 24.4 for those over 65 years. Among pediatric patients, 688 of 1126 allergic reactions were linked to platelet transfusions. Platelets obtained via apheresis had a higher ATR rate compared with those from the buffy coat method (OR: 1.44), while in adults, 960 of 3002 allergic reactions were attributed to platelet transfusions, with higher ATR rates for apheresis platelets compared with buffy coat platelets (OR: 1.41). Conclusion: ATRs in the Colombian pediatric population were three times higher than adults.