• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.65-117
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• 2011

This article analyzes the case (2008Da16776) which has the issue how patients have to prove causal relationship when patients claim against pharmaceutical companies alleging that patients were infected with virus due to contaminated blood products. The Supreme court held that: (1) if patients prove that they didn't have symptoms suggesting virus infection before administration of blood products, the virus infection had been confirmed after administration of blood products, and there were significant potential of contamination of the blood products with the virus, the defect in blood products or the negligence of pharmaceutical company in making blood products shall be presumed to cause the infection of the victim. (2) The pharmaceutical companies could reverse the presumption by proving the blood products were not contaminated, but the fact that the victims were treated with the blood products manufactured by other companies or had received blood transfusions is not enough to reverse the presumption. The case is the first decision whether the burden of proof about causal relationship could be reduced in pharmaceutical product liability lawsuit. Hereafter pharmaceutical product liability cases, it would be necessary to reduce the burden of proof about causal relationship in order to make substantive equality between patients and pharmaceutical companies.

• The Korean Journal of Blood Transfusion
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.240-252
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• 2018

Viscoelastic coagulation tests provide simultaneous measurements of multiple aspects of whole-blood coagulation, including interactions between the plasma components and cellular components of the coagulation cascade. This can be carried out immediately using a point of care technique. Viscoelastic tests could predict the patient's outcome, including mortality, and detect coagulopathy more sensitively, resulted in reduced blood loss. The transfusion strategy based on the viscoelastic parameters rather than a conventional coagulation test has been shown to reduce the transfusion requirements. Although there are concerns about the reliability and accuracy of this method, viscoelastic tests, including ROTEM, would be a useful method to guide patient blood management strategies.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.61 no.9
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• pp.265-270
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• 2018

Neonates, especially extremely low birth weight infants, are among the groups of patients undergoing transfusion frequently. Since they are exposed to higher specific transfusion risks compared to the patients of other age groups, there are many special aspects that must be considered for transfusion therapy in neonates. The transfusion risks in neonates include adverse outcomes specific for preterm infants as well as increased metabolic, immunologic, and infectious complications. To reduce the risks of transfusion-transmitted cytomegalovirus infection and transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease, leukoreduced and irradiated cellular blood products should be used for all neonates. This review summarizes the risks of neonatal transfusion therapy, specific methods to reduce risk, and current trends and practices of red blood cell and platelet transfusions in neonates, to facilitate decision-making for neonatal transfusion.

• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.8-15
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• 2020

This study was conducted in order to determine the effect of intraoperative hemoglobin changes on intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM). This was a retrospective study that included 339 participants who underwent cerebrovascular surgery. We compared anesthetic agents, intraoperative hemoglobin, hematocrit, blood transfusion, and blood loss. We examined motor evoked potential and sensory evoked potential to patients. There were significant differences in hemoglobin changes, bleeding levels, transfusion, anesthesia time, and postoperative mobility disorders. Moreover, compared with patients who received transfusions, those who did not receive transfusion had a lower average hemoglobin level, as well as a higher bleeding amount, and a need of higher anesthesia time and anesthetic dose. Also, we found vasospasm occurred while surgery can bring adverse results after operation. This study showed that an intraoperative decrease in hemoglobin levels affects the function of cerebral perfusion, which could result in abnormal nerve monitoring results. However, as this study could not find a relation of anesthetics to IONM, there is a need for further research regarding the association between anesthetics and hemoglobin changes and IONM.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.98-104
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• 2020

Thalassemias are considered important health issues throughout Iraq, involving its Kurdistan region. This disorder, particularly its major form, needs lifelong regular transfusions. But this form of medical care is associated with various complications including red cell alloimmunization and autoimmunization. This study determined the frequency and associations of alloimmunization among multi-transfused patients with β-thalassemia major. The subjects were 204 patients who were registered at a thalassemia care center in Sulaymaniyah-Iraqi Kurdistan. The patients' records were analyzed, their red cells were phenotyped for ABO/RhD antigens using the gel card method, and irregular antibody screening/identification was performed using the standard tube method. Alloantibodies were detected in 5.8% of the patients, while DAT was positive in 4% of the patients, which indicated autoantibodies. The identified alloantibodies were anti-E (2.4%), anti-C (1.4%), anti-e (1%), and anti-K (1%). A patient's age at the start of transfusion (>2 years) (P=0.042) and a positive history of transfusion reactions (P=0.003) were correlated with a significantly higher rate of alloantibody formation. From the results of our study, we conclude that measures to decrease the development of alloantibodies may incorporate matching for Rhesus and Kell systems and early induction of blood transfusions.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.242-247
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• 2021

Purpose: Blunt cardiac injuries (BCI) have a wide clinical spectrum, ranging from asymptomatic myocardial contusion to cardiac rupture and death. BCIs rarely require surgical intervention, but can be rapidly fatal, requiring prompt evaluation and surgical treatment in some cases. The aim of this study was to identify potential factors associated with in-hospital mortality after surgery in patients with BCI. Methods: The medical records of 15 patients who had undergone emergency cardiac surgery for BCI between January 2014 and August 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. We included trauma patients older than 18 years admitted to Regional Trauma Center, Gachon University Gil Medical Center during the study period. Clinical and laboratory variables were compared between survivors and non-survivors. Results: Non-survivors showed a significantly higher Injury Severity Score (p=0.001) and Abbreviated Injury Scale in the chest region (p=0.001) than survivors. American Association for the Surgery of Trauma-Organ Injury Scale Grade V injuries were significantly more common in non-survivors than in survivors (p=0.031). Non-survivors had significantly more preoperative packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions (p=0.019) and were significantly more likely to experience preoperative cardiac arrest (p=0.001) than survivors. Initial pH (p=0.010), lactate (p=0.026), and base excess (BE; p=0.026) levels showed significant differences between the two groups. Conclusions: Initial pH, lactate, BE, ventricular injury, the amount of preoperative PRBC transfusions, and preoperative cardiac arrest were potential predictors of in-hospital mortality.

• The Korean Journal of Blood Transfusion
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.273-281
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• 2018

Background: Ferritin is used to detect iron overload in patients with chronic red blood cell transfusions. Although ferritin reflects the amount of iron storage in the body, it may increase nonspecifically in inflammation and infection. This study analyzed the cause of increased ferritin and the association with a red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. Methods: The medical records of patients who visited the authors' hospital from January to December 2017 and underwent a ferritin test were reviewed retrospectively. Hyperferritinemia was defined as a ferritin level more than 1,000 ng/mL. The causes of hyperferritinemia were investigated by examining the laboratory findings and medical records. Results: The results revealed 417 cases of hyperferritinemia in 238 patients during the period. The most common diseases were hematologic malignancies from 125 cases (30.0%) in 31 patients and infectious diseases were the second most common. Iron overload was suspected in 119 cases in 33 patients, and 12 patients (76 cases) were transfused with more than 8 units of RBC for 1 year before the test. Conclusion: In hyperferritinemia, the rate of iron overload is high considering the underlying diseases and chronic RBC transfusion. To determine iron storage status accurately, it will be helpful to measure the C-reactive protein (CRP) and iron saturation in the ferritin test. Careful attention should be paid to habitual iron formulations and frequent transfusions due to the possibility of iron overload.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.165-169
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• 2022

Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is autoimmune disease which is anemia caused by own immune system destroying the red blood cells (RBC). It can be diagnosed with spherocytosis, positive auto-agglutination of RBCs and direct antiglobulin test (DAT, Coomb's test). The treatment for IMHA are blood transfusion, immunosuppressive agents including glucocorticoids and other supportive therapies. Danazol is synthetic androgen that has effect of interfering the autoimmune reaction to RBCs. It can be used as an adjunctive agent in addition to glucocorticoids. To investigate its effectiveness, the medical records of 10 IMHA-diagnosed dogs were evaluated. All subjects were treated with blood transfusion, prednisolone, mycophenolate mofetil, and intravenous human immunoglobulin G. Additionally, 6 subjects were administered with danazol and 4 subjects were not. The results of initial blood examination and responses to the treatment for IMHA were compared between the groups. There were significant differences in the number of blood transfusions; once in group with danazol, twice in group without danazol, duration of recovery to normal hematocrit; 7.67±3.08 days in group with danazol, 22.00±5.66 days in group without danazol, and hospitalization; 5.17±0.75 days in group with danazol, 12.75±2.22 days in group without danazol. Therefore, danazol has potential effective on treating IMHA for rapid improvement.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.112-118
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• 2020

In trauma patients, coagulopathy and abnormal increases or decreases in cell counts are frequently observed, and are associated with high mortality and morbidity in the acute phase of trauma. Because major trauma is often life-threatening, and hematologic abnormalities are multi-factorial and transient, major blood loss is usually suspected to be the primary cause of these abnormalities, and much time and cost may be spent attempting to identify a focus of hemorrhage that might or might not actually exist. Persistent abnormalities in the complete blood count, however, require clinical suspicion of other hematologic diseases to minimize improper transfusions and to improve outcomes, including mortality. Physicians at trauma centers should be familiar with the clinical characteristics of hematologic diseases and should consider these diseases in trauma patients. In this report, we present cases of two hematologic disorders found in trauma patients: autoimmune hemolytic anemia induced by systemic lupus erythematosus and myelodysplastic syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.28.1-28.5
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• 2023

A 10-year-old spayed female Maltese presented with purpura and hematemesis. Initial laboratory evaluation revealed immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, but evidence of hemolytic anemia was not identified. Three milligrams of human intravenous immunoglobulin (hIVIG) was administered for 3 hours following prednisolone and mycophenolate mofetil. A pale mucous membrane was identified, and the packed cell volume decreased by 3%. Blood film examination revealed significant spherocytosis with auto-agglutination. Blood transfusions and immunosuppression were continued for 4 days, and hIVIG was discontinued. This report describes a case of increased immune-mediated hemolysis after hIVIG administration, possibly due to new-onset immune-mediated hemolytic anemia or enhanced immunogenicity.