Transfusion-related acute lung injury with anti-leukocyte antibodies identified both in patient's serum and in red cell concentrate

We report a fatal case of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) with anti-leukocyte antibodies detected both in the patient's serum and in the causative red cell concentrate (RC-M.A.P). A 41-year-old Japanese woman diagnosed as having acute myeloid leukemia (AML, M2) developed TRALI caused by RC-M.A.P 15 days after the start of induction therapy for AML. Although we conducted intratracheal intubation, positive end-expiratory pressure ventilation, and steroid pulse therapy, she died 3 days after the onset of TRALI. We detected anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I antibody and anti-HLA class II antibody in the patient's serum and anti-neutrophil antibody in the RC-M.A.P, using the newly developed immunofluorescence tests with high specificity and low background interference. We assume that these anti-leukocyte antibodies were responsible for TRALI via an immune-mediated mechanism.