Haemovigilance in Iran (First Report)

Haemovigilance is a system with standard program to cover the entire transfusion chain, monitor, evaluate and analyse the data to improve patients’ safety. We report the implemented haemovigilance system in hospitals and transfusion reactions (TR) in Iran. Methods and Materials: This was a prospective descriptive study. The national reporting system for transfusion incidents was introduced in January 2009. In the period 2009- 2011, 47 hospitals in a mandatory manner reported transfusion incidents among patients to the blood bank in a mandatory manner. All incidents were anonymously recorded in a standardized report form and registered in 10 categories. A total of 377 transfusion incidents were reported and categorized as: incorrect blood component transfused (n = 4), Febrile non hemolytic transfusion reaction (FNHTR) (n=84), Immune hemolytic transfusion reactions (n =12), nonimmune hemolytic transfusion reactions (n = 7), allergic reactions (n = 247), transfusion-related acute lung injury (n = 2). There were no reports in the categories of infections, post-transfusion purpura, transfusion-acquired viral infection, and transfusion-related graft versus host disease. Haemovigilance is a tool for quality improvement and better surveillance on patient safety. The safety and quality of blood transfusions can be improved if we follow the transfusion chain, prevent and treat transfusion reactions and report adverse reactions to change the protocols.