Febrile transfusion reactions are no big deal, right? Christine Cserti-Gazdewich says, “Hold on! There’s more to the story!”

NOTE: Continuing Education credit for this episode has expired. See below for details.

Christine Cserti image

Dr. Christine Cserti-Gazdewich

Febrile reactions are pretty common (maybe not as often as in years past, but still…). They are a “diagnosis of exclusion,” meaning they are what is left behind after you have ruled out other stuff, especially acute hemolysis. As a result, febrile nonhemolytic reactions get no respect!

How SHOULD We Look at Them?

Christine Cserti-Gazdewich is a hematologist who is also certified in Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine, and she sees febrile reactions a lot. She believes we are underestimating their impact in a big way. Christine is senior author on a 2017 paper that outlines the true cost of febrile reactions. While the monetary figures may not blow you away, the overall impact is significant! Christine takes us through a great discussion of how to recognize, understand, classify, and evaluate febrile reactions and appreciate their impact on patients.

About My Guest:

Christine Cserti-Gazdewich trained in internal medicine and hematology in Toronto, and in Transfusion Medicine at the Harvard Joint Program in Boston. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, and a Transfusion Medicine specialist and a clinical hematologist at the University Health Network (UHN). She also provides remote associate medical directorship to other Ontario hospital transfusion services. Christine’s local work focuses on transfusion immunohematology and hemovigilance, with interests in the hematology and hemotherapy of severe anemia in sub-Saharan Africa. She was an investigator in the “TOTAL RCT” (on blood storage effects in the transfusion of profound pediatric anemia), and in a clinical field trial examining host blood group relationships and survivorship under Plasmodium falciparum malaria selection pressure.

Christine Cserti image

Dr. Christine Cserti-Gazdewich

Febrile reactions are pretty common (maybe not as often as in years past, but still…). They are a “diagnosis of exclusion,” meaning they are what is left behind after you have ruled out other stuff, especially acute hemolysis. As a result, febrile nonhemolytic reactions get no respect!

How SHOULD We Look at Them?

Christine Cserti-Gazdewich is a hematologist who is also certified in Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine, and she sees febrile reactions a lot. She believes we are underestimating their impact in a big way. Christine is senior author on a 2017 paper that outlines the true cost of febrile reactions. While the monetary figures may not blow you away, the overall impact is significant! Christine takes us through a great discussion of how to recognize, understand, classify, and evaluate febrile reactions and appreciate their impact on patients.

About My Guest:

Christine Cserti-Gazdewich trained in internal medicine and hematology in Toronto, and in Transfusion Medicine at the Harvard Joint Program in Boston. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, and a Transfusion Medicine specialist and a clinical hematologist at the University Health Network (UHN). She also provides remote associate medical directorship to other Ontario hospital transfusion services. Christine’s local work focuses on transfusion immunohematology and hemovigilance, with interests in the hematology and hemotherapy of severe anemia in sub-Saharan Africa. She was an investigator in the “TOTAL RCT” (on blood storage effects in the transfusion of profound pediatric anemia), and in a clinical field trial examining host blood group relationships and survivorship under Plasmodium falciparum malaria selection pressure.

Continuing Education Expired

This podcast episode offered continuing education credit for two years from its release date, but is no longer eligible for such credit.

To find Blood Bank Guy Essentials Podcast episodes with active continuing education opportunities, Click here or visit Transfusion News Continuing Education on Wiley Health Learning.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed on this episode are those of my guest and I alone, and do not reflect those of the organizations with which either of us is affiliated. Neither Dr. Cserti-Gazdewich nor I have any relevant financial disclosures.

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