Post-Transfusion Anicteric Hepatitis

Abstract

Fifty-six patients who received blood transfusions were checked at regular intervals by determinations of serum activity of SGOT (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase), SGPT (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase) and ICD (isocitric dehydrogenase). In 10 patients anicteric hepatitis, presumably viral in nature, developed, an incidence of 870 cases/10,000 units of blood transfused. There were no icteric cases in this series. None of 25 control patients showed elevation of levels of serum enzyme activity. In 2 patients hepatitis developed before the 6th week after transfusion. Since the differentiation of serum from parenterally transmitted infectious hepatitis cannot be made histologically or chemically, only the short incubation period exists as evidence for transfusional infectious hepatitis. The SGOT and SGPT were more sensitive and reliable indicators of early hepatitis than the ICD. Two patients have evidence (histologic and biochemical) of continuing hepatitis after 10 and 11 months. Attempts at isolation of a virus were unsuccessful. The ratio of anicteric to icteric hepatitis in the hospital is estimated on the basis of these figures to be greater than 100:1. Post-transfusion hepatitis has been found to be much more common in this study than has generally been accepted in this country. Patients so affected may represent a continuing source of further infection and may themselves progress to chronic liver disease.