Transfusions in burn patients with/without comorbidities.

Medical comorbidities such as renal, cardiac, and cerebrovascular disease are known risk factors for mortality in burn patients. Patients with large burns often require blood transfusions during excision and skin grafting. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in the transfusion requirements of burn patients with/without comorbidities.

Use of blood bank services in a burn unit.

Burn patients may need transfusions, especially during surgery. The purpose of the study was to determine blood bank services utilization at an urban burn center. This was a retrospective review (March 1999 to May 2004) of burn patient data on blood utilization.

Molecular basis of two novel high-prevalence antigens in the Kell blood group system, KALT and KTIM.

Background: The Kell blood group system consists of 25 antigens that result from single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Most polymorphic Kell antigens reside on the N-terminal domain of Kell before the zinc-binding catalytic motif, which is the major site for endothelin-3-converting enzyme activity. Kell antigens are important in transfusion medicine owing to their strong immunogenicity, and the corresponding antibodies are clinically significant.

Thrombotic microangiopathy syndrome as an AIDS-defining illness: the experience of J. Stroger Hospital of Cook County.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and hemolytic uremic syndrome are severe life-threatening disseminated thrombotic microangiopathies (TMA). Although many cases are idiopathic, TMA can occur in association with pregnancy, malignancy, autoimmune diseases, and HIV infection. We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 17 patients with TMA coexistent with HIV infection admitted to our institution.