TA-GVHD is a clinical syndrome occurring from 2 days to 6 weeks after transfusion. It is a rare but highly lethal adverse transfusion reaction. The disease has a 90% mortality rate. It is caused by the transfusion of donor lymphocytes to an immunocompromised recipient. The donor lymphocytes engraft and escalate an immune response against the host's tissues, including organs such as the lungs, skin, intestines, and liver. The recipient cannot destroy the foreign lymphocytes, and the cells proliferate and respond to incompatible antigens in the host.
Certain recipients have an increased risk of developing TA-GVHD. They are:
- Newborns who have had intrauterine transfusions
- Recipients with a congenital or acquired immunodeficiency
- Patients with hematological malignancies
- Recipients of donor units from a blood relative
