Clinical Features of a Nonanaphylactic Allergic Transfusion Reaction

 

Clinical features of mild to moderate allergic reactions:

(1) absence of fever (afebrile)

(2) one or more of the findings in the table below

(3) reduction in symptoms after therapy with an allergy medications

System	Finding
skin	urticaria, pruritic rash, flushing, angioedema
respiratory	cough, wheezing, stridor, dyspnea, chest tightness, chest pain, hoarseness
gastrointestinal tract	nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea
circulatory	tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias

 

where:

• A patient may experience more than one type of transfusion reaction at one time (mixed reaction).

 

Differential diagnosis:

(1) allergic reaction to a concurrent medication

(2) allergic reaction to a chemical used to sterilize tubing

(3) anaphylaxis

(4) febrile transfusion reaction