Transcript Slide 1

American College of Physicians
Kansas Chapter Conference
October 3, 2013
Ky Stoltzfus, MD
University of Kansas Medical
Center
Have I got a case for you...
Or should it be:
Have I got a case for you?
62 year old man with acute
promyelocytic leukemia

presents with shortness of
breath and chest pain.
HPI:

Chest pain over left sternum, dull,
7/10 severity, constant, began 4-5
hours prior, not relieved or worsened
by any factors.

Associated SOB, started at same
time, some cough and white sputum.
Can't lay flat easily, gets “winded”
with walking.
Recent diagnosis of APL
 Bone marrow hypercellular 95%
with 80% blast or promyelocytes
 Started All-Trans Retinoic Acid
(ATRA) therapy the day of
admission

During visit he was noted to
have
 WBC 0.7 K/uL
 Hgb 7.5 g/dL
 Platelets 13 K/uL

Transfused 1 unit platelets
ROS
Positive for the following, otherwise negative:

Gen: fatigue, malaise, anorexia

CV: chest pain

Pulm: SOB, cough, sputum production

Neuro: dizziness
PMH

HTN

CAD

Type II DM

Atrial fibrillation
PSH

None
Meds

tretinoin
• flecainide
• simvastatin
• zolpidem
• fish oil /omega-3 fatty acids
• atenolol
• polyethylene glycol (MIRALAX)
• pantoprazole
Soc Hx

Married

Nonsmoker, no EtOH, no illicit drugs
Fam Hx

Father – prostate CA, died 82yo

Mother – CAD, HTN, living 84yo

Siblings – healthy

No other cancer history
Physical Exam
38.1C P99 R21 BP110/78 O2 87%RA
Gen: Sitting, in moderate respiratory distress, alert,
oriented x 3
Neck: No carotid bruits, no JVD
CV: Irregular, no S3 or S4, no murmur
Pulm: Crackles in bilateral bases and mid-lung fields
Abd: Soft, nontender, nondistended
Extrem: no cyanosis or edema
Pulses: 1+ bilateral radial, dorsalis pedal, posterior
tibialis
EKG: atrial fibrillation, rate 99, LVH, no
ST or T wave changes, no Q waves
Labs:
Hgb 7.5, WBC 0.8, Plat 27
32%N, 3%Band, 30L, 4M, 31% blasts
Na 131, Cl 101, bicarb 22, lactate 2.1, Cr
1.4, Tbili 1.5, LDH 299
Trop 0.01, BNP 185
What's in your differential
diagnosis?
Here's mine:





CHF exacerbation
Transfusion Associated Cardiac Overload
(TACO)
PNA, atypical
TRALI (Transfusion Associated Acute Lung
Injury)
PE
What would you do next?




Diurese patient
Possible emperic antibiotics
Consider CT chest or VQ scan
Contact your blood bank
TRALI
American Society of Hematology Education
Program
http://asheducationbook.hematologylibrary.org/c
ontent/2006/1/497.full
TRALI
TRALI is characterized by acute noncardiogenic pulmonary edema and
respiratory compromise in the
setting of transfusion

Normal CVP and wedge pressure

Mimics ARDS
TRALI attributed to donor leukocyte
antibodies.
Alternate mechanism: “two hit” or
“neutrophil priming” hypothesis.
Incidence
1:432 whole blood platelets
1:557,000 red cells
Plasma transmission variable
(depends on region of the
country)
Testing
HLA class I or class II, or neutrophil-specific
antibodies in donor plasma and the presence
of the cognate (corresponding) antigen on
recipient neutrophils.
Takes weeks to obtain this.
TRALI is still a clinical diagnosis.
Follow up
Extremely important to notify your blood bank if
TRALI is suspected.
Donors can tracked.
FDA is notified.
Case continued
Patient had worsened respiratory
failure and subsequent multiorgan failure. He died in ICU on
maximal life support.
Summary
Suspect TRALI if respiratory symptoms
follow transfusion.
Keep your differential diagnosis broad.
Report suspected cases of TRALI to
blood bank immediately.