Introduction

Leukoreduction of blood products is commonly performed in human medicine, but its effect on outcome or incidence of transfusion reactions (TRs) in dogs is unknown. The aims were to prospectively evaluate the incidence of acute TRs in, and the outcome of, dogs receiving either leukoreduced (LR) or non-leukoreduced (N-LR) packed red blood cells (PRBC). Our null hypothesis was that there would be no difference in the incidence of TRs or outcome between the two groups.

Methods

Prospective randomised double-blinded clinical trial. Dogs administered PRBC between August 2017 and June 2020 were included and were randomised to receive either LR or N-LR PRBC and clinicians, nurses and investigators were blinded to the group allocations. The incidence of TRs, change in PCV, hospitalisation length, and survival to discharge were recorded.

Results

One hundred and ninety-four dogs were eligible for inclusion. Out of the 194 dogs, 96 received LR and 98 received N-LR PRBCs. The mean 12-hour change in PCV value was +8.98% (SD 5.27%) for dogs that received N-LR and 10.51% (SD 6.24%) for dogs that received LR PRBC, which was not significantly different (p=0.08). TRs were documented in 16/194 (8.24%) dogs, with 1/194 (0.51%) being a mild allergic reaction, whilst 15/194 (7.73%) had suspected febrile non-hemolytic TRs (FNHTRs). FNHTR incidence was not significantly different between the LR (6/96, 6.25%, 95% CI 2.8–13.56%) and N-LR (9/98, 9.18%, 95% CI 4.92–17.11%) groups (p=0.806). Out of the dogs that survived to discharge, dogs that received LR PRBC were hospitalised for a median of 6 days (IQR 4 days), and dogs that received N-LR PRBC were hospitalised for a median of 5 days (IQR 4 days), with no significant difference in the median days of hospitalisation between the two groups (p=0.059). Of the 156 dogs that survived to discharge, 80/156 received N-LR PRBC and 76/156 received LR PRBC which was not significantly different (p=0.665).

Conclusions

In this prospective randomised double-blinded clinical study, a clinical advantage of using LR PRBC over N-LR PRBC in terms of TRs and increase in PCV post transfusion could not be demonstrated.

Disclosures

No disclosures to report.