The effect of blood transfusion on pulmonary permeability in cardiac surgery patients: a prospective multicenter cohort study

BACKGROUND: There is an association between blood transfusion and pulmonary complications in cardiac surgery. Mediators of increased pulmonary vascular leakage after transfusion are unknown. We hypothesized that factors may include antibodies or bioactive lipids, which have been implicated in transfusion-related acute lung injury. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study in two university hospital intensive care units in the Netherlands. Pulmonary vascular permeability was measured in cardiac surgery patients after receiving no, restrictive (one or two transfusions), or multiple (five or more transfusions) transfusions (n = 20 per group). The pulmonary leak index (PLI), using Ga-67-labeled transferrin, was determined within 3 hours postoperatively. Blood products were screened for bioactive lipid accumulation and the presence of antibodies. RESULTS: The PLI was elevated in all groups after cardiac surgery. Transfused patients had a higher PLI compared to nontransfused patients (33 x 10(-3) +/- 20 x 10(-3) vs. 23 x 10(-3) +/- 11 x 10(-3)/min, p