Anaphylaxis in a Myelodysplastic Syndrome Patient during Platelet Transfusion with a Leukocyte-Reduction Filter

Abstract

A 77-year old woman with myelodysplastic syndrome required platelet transfusion. However, she complained of facial flushing and dyspnea immediately after the initiation of an infusion of platelet concentrations (PC) utilizing a Pall PL-PXL8H filter with a negatively charged surface. The same symptoms recurred following a transfusion of washed PC with saline. However, an infusion utilizing a Sepacell PLX5A-W with a positively charged surface caused no problems. Furthermore, the patient demonstrated the same adverse reaction after administration of prostaglandin F₂α. This case suggested that special caution is warranted when patients who have an allergic history receive PC infusions through leukocyte-reduction filters with negatively charged surfaces.