HLA class II antibodies in transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). A case report

TRALI, a serious complication of blood transfusion, is underdiagnosed. Anti-granulocyte and anti-HLA class I molecules in donors or recipients and very recently, lipids in stored blood as well as anti-HLA class II have been associated with the syndrome. We present a TRALI case which occurred in a 56 year old woman after plasma transfusion. HLA class II antibodies were identified in the donor and were correlated with the recipients’ HLA antigens. The presence of HLA class II antibodies without anti-HLA class I has been reported in very few cases and may facilitate the understanding of the pathogenesis of the syndrome.