The role of tocilizumab in the treatment of post‐transfusion hyperhaemolysis
Naeem Desai, Jayne Peters, Elizabeth Davies, Joseph Sharif
Abstract
Hyperhaemolysis syndrome (HHS) is a serious complication of transfusion mostly reported in patients with sickle cell disease. HHS is characterised by the destruction of both donor and autologous red blood cells. Tocilizumab is a recombinant humanised monoclonal antibody that inhibits the binding of interleukin-6 and has been used in the treatment of severe/critical coronavirus disease 2019 infection but also some cases of HHS. We describe two further cases of HHS successfully treated with tocilizumab and propose a decision aid for when to consider this treatment.
Topics & Concepts
TocilizumabMedicineComplicationMonoclonal antibodyMonoclonalBlood transfusionDiseaseImmunologyAntibodySurgeryInternal medicineBlood groups and transfusionErythrocyte Function and PathophysiologyParvovirus B19 Infection Studies