Acute transfusion reactions (ATRs) are significantly relevant to the morbidity and mortality of patients. ATRs are mostly not severe and rarely cause severe conditions, including anaphylactic shock. The aim of this study was to clarify the frequency of ATRs and the time of event occurrence. A total of 18,745 transfusions were administered to 11,718 patients during a 3-year period. Adverse reactions including at least one sign or symptom were collected through a report system in 143 of 2,478 (5.7%) platelet concentrate transfusions, 105 of 6,629 (1.6%) red blood cell component transfusions and 51 of 2,307 (2.2%) fresh frozen plasma transfusions. Allergic signs and symptoms accounted for 70% of all adverse events. Severe signs and symptoms were observed in 7.1% of patients. These events appeared significantly earlier than those of non-severe signs and symptoms (median time 20 min vs 100 min, P < 0.05). For patients who have had repetitive transfusion-associated adverse events, preventive treatments for adverse events should be proactively promoted.

Background  Emicizumab, a bispecific monoclonal antibody for hemophilia A (HA), has strong pharmacodynamic effects in several coagulation assays resulting in dosing difficulties with Factor VIII (FVIII) concentrates during bleeding emergencies. Materials and Methods Single and multiple regression models were studied to estimate FVIII activity using 27 archived plasma samples from three patients with HA without inhibitor under emicizumab treatment. Explanatory variables were FVIII chromogenic assay (CSA), Ad|min1|, Ad|min2|, the number of seconds of APTT, and the FVIII one-stage assay (OSA), which were measured without idiotype antibodies. The response variable was FVIII OSA measured with idiotype antibodies. Results In the simple linear model, the FVIII CSA regression coefficient was 1.04 and the intercept was −14.55 ( r2 = 0.95; p < 0.001). In the multiple regression model, FVIII OSA and FVIII CSA were selected based on the Akaike Information Criterion, with regression coefficients of 1.74 and 1.15, respectively, and an intercept of −92.03 ( r2 = 0.96, p < 0.001). Conclusions The regression models can estimate the FVIII:C levels in patients with HA receiving emicizumab and would be useful in a bleeding emergency and/or surgery.

Objective Co-reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) occurs in iatrogenically immunosuppressed patients, but the clinical relevance of this is unknown. We aimed to determine the frequency of EBV reactivation in patients with CMV viremia and to explore its clinical significance. Methods Serum or plasma CMV and EBV DNA was detected by quantitative real-time PCR in 82 patients who received immunosuppressive therapy and/or chemotherapy and underwent CMV antigenemia tests. Results CMV DNA was positive in 55 patients, with EBV reactivation being found in 29 of these (52.7%). EBV co-reactivation was significantly associated with aging (>64 years vs. ≤64 years, odds ratio 4.07, 95% confidence interval 1.06–15.6). When older patients were divided into two groups according to age, EBV co-reactivation occurred more frequently in early-old patients (aged 65–74 years) than in late-old patients (aged ≥75 years) (100.0% vs. 53.3%, respectively). Steroid pulse treatment was administered significantly more often in the early-old group than in those aged ≤64 years and ≥75 years (72.7% vs 27.6% vs 14.3%, respectively). Conclusions Co-reactivation of EBV in patients with CMV viremia highlighted early-old patients and may reflect treatment intensity as well as immunosenescence.