Is Direct Blood Donation from Relatives Safe? Expert Insights Revealed

Is this true or false??????

Important Medical Knowledge -- The cessation of direct blood relative transfusions has been confirmed in response to inquiries from several friends about the authenticity of this information.
An email was sent to Mackay Memorial Hospital for clarification.
The answer is "YES." The following report was indeed published by Dr.
Lin Ma-li, a leading expert in transfusion medicine in Taiwan.

Many people are reluctant to accept foreign blood during transfusions, fearing the potential transmission of diseases.
However, according to research by transfusion specialists, the introduction of blood from direct relatives into the body carries a significantly high risk of triggering graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which, once it occurs, has no effective treatment and results in a mortality rate exceeding 99%.
This practice is extremely dangerous.
The 10th International Society of Blood Transfusion Asia-Pacific Congress is being held today at the International Trade Conference Center, where the often-overlooked issue of transfusions from close relatives has sparked vigorous discussions.
Dr.
Lin Ma-li, the director of the Department of Medical Laboratory Science at Mackay Memorial Hospital, has recommended that direct blood relative transfusions be discontinued in Taiwan.
Dr.
Lin explained that due to genetic factors, if a father’s blood contains heterozygotes, then his direct relatives (parents and children) will have homozygotes in their blood.
If both heterozygotes and homozygotes are mixed through transfusion, there is a very high likelihood of developing GVHD due to tissue antigen incompatibility.
More than 99% of those affected will die within two months post-transfusion.
Patients who develop GVHD typically receive transfusions due to illness or accidents.
However, if incompatible homozygotes or heterozygotes are introduced into their bodies, it will further compromise their immune system, leading to reactions such as skin rashes, anemia, and dysfunction of organs like the gastrointestinal tract and lungs, resulting in rapid mortality.
Dr.
Lin emphasized that once blood is introduced into the human body, it circulates throughout, making it impossible to completely extract it later.
When GVHD occurs, physicians in Taiwan are left helpless, as there are no medications available to save the patient.
Furthermore, when patients experience a decline in immunity due to the mixing of homozygous and heterozygous blood, many may be misdiagnosed as suffering from complications of pre-existing conditions, gradually leading to death as their bodily functions deteriorate.
Regarding the proportion of individuals who develop similar host-versus-graft diseases from transfusions of direct relatives' blood, there has been a lack of investigation into this high-risk issue in Taiwan.
However, in Japan, at least 500 to 600 cases have been confirmed where individuals died due to adverse reactions from receiving blood from direct relatives.
To prevent GVHD when transfusing blood between direct relatives, it is necessary to irradiate the blood bags to destroy the homozygotes or heterozygotes present.
However, due to the complexity of this process, Dr.
Lin still recommends that the public accept blood from non-direct relatives at blood donation centers, which is considered safer.
Dr.
Lin stressed that there is a prevailing misconception among the public that receiving blood from close relatives is the safest option, based on the belief that matching blood types and the absence of diseases like hepatitis or HIV make it acceptable to donate blood to direct relatives.
The findings from the aforementioned research are sufficient to overturn this traditional belief.
She hopes that healthcare professionals in Taiwan will take this issue seriously and strictly prohibit the high-risk practice of transfusions between close relatives.

Meimei, 20~29 year old female. Ask Date: 2005/10/03

Dr. Zhan Deqin reply Family Medicine

Due to the close HLA typing among direct relatives, the recipient typically has a weakened immune system that cannot recognize foreign tissue antigens.
Once the T-lymphocytes from the donor proliferate to a certain level after being transfused into the patient, they may mistakenly identify the recipient's tissue antigens as foreign.
This leads to cell-mediated immunity against the recipient, known as transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GvHD), which has a mortality rate exceeding 90%.
Therefore, it is generally not recommended for direct relatives to donate blood unless the blood has been irradiated to inactivate the T-lymphocytes.
This information was provided by Dr.
Chen Mao-Chun from the Department of Laboratory Medicine.

Reply Date: 2005/10/03

More Info

When it comes to blood transfusions, particularly those involving direct blood donations from relatives, the safety and potential risks are critical considerations. Recent insights from medical experts, particularly Dr. Lin Ma-li from Mackay Memorial Hospital, highlight significant concerns regarding the practice of direct blood donations from close relatives.
While many individuals may feel more comfortable receiving blood from family members, believing it to be safer due to genetic similarities, this assumption can be misleading and potentially dangerous. Dr. Lin emphasizes that transfusing blood from direct relatives can lead to a severe condition known as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). This occurs when the immune cells in the transfused blood recognize the recipient's body as foreign and mount an immune response against it. The statistics are alarming: the mortality rate for those who develop GVHD after receiving blood from a close relative can exceed 99%, often resulting in death within two months of the transfusion.

The underlying issue stems from genetic factors. If a parent carries certain genetic markers (heterozygous), their direct descendants (children) may inherit these markers in a homozygous form. When blood containing these genetic variations is transfused, it can trigger an immune response that is not only aggressive but also difficult to treat. Once GVHD develops, there are no effective treatments available, and the condition can lead to severe complications affecting various organs, including the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and lungs.

Dr. Lin's recommendations are clear: the practice of direct blood donation from relatives should be discontinued. Instead, individuals in need of blood transfusions should seek blood from established blood donation centers, where the blood has been screened and treated to minimize risks. This approach not only reduces the likelihood of GVHD but also ensures that the blood supply is safe and reliable.

Moreover, the misconception that receiving blood from a relative is inherently safer persists in many communities. This belief can lead to tragic outcomes, as evidenced by reports from Japan, where hundreds of individuals have died due to complications arising from transfusions of blood from close relatives.
In conclusion, while the emotional appeal of receiving blood from a family member is understandable, the medical risks associated with such practices are significant. The potential for life-threatening conditions like graft-versus-host disease underscores the importance of adhering to established medical guidelines and seeking blood from non-related donors. Public awareness and education on this topic are crucial to prevent unnecessary tragedies and ensure the safety of blood transfusions.

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