Incidence of transfusion reactions to commercial equine plasma.

This research examines the occurrence of negative reactions in horses following the transfusion of commercial equine plasma, with a special focus on the reactions observed in foals less than 30 days old, and demonstrates no significant differences in variables between foals that reacted to the transfusion and those that did not.

Research Context and Methodology

• The research was conducted at the University of Wisconsin’s teaching hospital on horses brought in by customers.
• The study is retrospective in design, analyzing medical records from 2003 to 2008.
• The study focuses on intravenous administration of two commercial sources of equine plasma, selected based on clinical indication.
• 107 horses of various ages, that had received plasma transfusions, were studied in total.

Research Findings

• In the population studied, transfusion reactions were documented in 6 of 107 cases.
• All horses that reacted negatively were treated with plasma from one commercial source.
• Different products were administered to foals younger than 30 days (hypergammaglobulinemic product) and adults (lower IgG concentration product).
• No reactions were recorded among adult horses, while reactions in foals were observed in 6 out of 69 cases (around 8.7%).
• All foals that experienced reactions were less than 7 days old.
• Among the reactions observed were fever, rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), rapid breathing (tachypnea), and abdominal pain (colic).
• All foals survived the reactions.
• There were no significant differences (p<0.05) in the variables examined between foals that experienced reactions and those that did not.

Conclusion and Implication of the Research

• The study concludes that the incidence of transfusion reactions was 8.7% in foals and 0% in adult horses from the referral population studied.
• All but one of the foals that reacted responded well to medical treatment and were able to receive the clinically indicated transfusion.
• The study also notes that there were no transfusion reaction-related losses.