ABSTRACT Background: Assessing trends in the rate of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) in blood donors is critical to the monitoring of the blood supply safety and the donor screening effectiveness. The objective of this study was to conduct a trend analysis of TTIs and associated demographic factors of donors at a public blood bank in the central Brazil. Methods: A retrospective analysis (2010-2016) of blood donation data was performed to determine the prevalence of markers for TTIs. Multinomial and multivariate logistic regression were used to verify the association between the explanatory variables and TTIs. The trend was evaluated with the Prais Winsten's regression analysis. Results: The prevalence of TTIs was 4.04% (5,553 donors) among 137,209 donors, with a steady trend in the analyzed period. The seroprevalence for the hepatitis B virus (HBV), syphilis, hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Chagas disease, and human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) were 1.63%, 0.87%, 0.46%, 0.21%, 0.21% and 0.09%, respectively. The prevalence of HBV decreased (b = −0.021, p < 0.001), while syphilis increased (b = 0.112; p = 0.001), during the period investigated. The probability for a positive test for TTI was higher among donors with a low level of education, aged ≥30 years old, without stable marital status, and first-time donors. Conclusions: Even with the reduction in HBV, the increased rate of syphilis may have contributed to the fact that the overall rate of TTIs did not decrease in the evaluated period.

RESUMO Objetivo: Comparar a razão neutrófilo-linfócito e a razão plaqueta-linfócito como possíveis parâmetros de inflamação sistêmica em indivíduos hiperglicêmicos e normoglicêmicos. Métodos: Estudo transversal retrospectivo, em que foram coletados dados dos pacientes que realizaram glicemia em jejum, hemoglobina glicada (HbA1c) e hemograma na mesma data, entre julho e dezembro de 2016. Os pacientes foram divididos em um Grupo Hiperglicêmico e um Grupo Normoglicêmico, pareados por idade e sexo. Os dados foram analisados no Epi Info™, versão 7.2.1.0, em plataforma Windows®. Resultados: Foram incluídos 278 indivíduos, sendo 139 hiperglicêmicos e 139 normoglicêmicos. O número absoluto de leucócitos e neutrófilos foi maior no Grupo Hiperglicêmico (p=0,006 e p=0,004, respectivamente). Não houve diferença da razão neutrófilo-linfócito entre o Grupo Hiperglicêmico e o Grupo Normoglicêmico (2,1 versus 2,0; p=0,264), assim como a razão neutrófilo-linfócito e razão plaqueta-linfócito não apresentou diferença entre aqueles com HbA1c ≥7% (n=127) e com HbA1c <7% (n=12; p=0,778 e p=0,490). Contrariamente, a razão plaqueta-linfócito mostrou-se menor no Grupo Hiperglicêmico (117,8 versus 129,6; p=0,007). Conclusão: Indivíduos hiperglicêmicos apresentaram razão neutrófilo-linfócito semelhante a dos normoglicêmicos, mas tiveram razão plaqueta-linfócito menor. Pesquisas futuras, de modo prospectivo, seriam úteis para analisar a importância e o valor prognóstico da razão neutrófilo-linfócito e da razão plaqueta-linfócito no estado hiperglicêmico.

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios as possible parameters of systemic inflammation in hyperglycemic and normoglycemic subjects. Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study of data collected from patients tested for fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and blood count on the same day, between July and December 2016. Patients were divided into hyperglycemic and normoglycemic, and matched by age and sex. The data were analyzed using Epi Info™, version 7.2.1.0, for the Windows® platform. Results: We enrolled 278 subjects, 139 hyperglycemic and 139 normoglycemic. The absolute number of leukocytes and neutrophils was higher in the Hyperglycemic Group (p=0.006 and p=0.004, respectively). There was no difference in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio between the Hyperglycemic Group and the Normoglycemic Group (2.1 versus 2.0; p=0.264), and both neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios showed no differences between those with HbA1c ≥7% (n=127, p=0.778) and those with HbA1c <7% (n=12, p=0.490). In contrast, the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was lower in the Hyperglycemic Group (117.8 versus 129.6; p=0.007). Conclusion: Hyperglycemic subjects had a neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio similar to that of normoglycemic subjects, but had a lower platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio. Future prospective studies will be useful to determine the importance and prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios in the hyperglycemic state.

ABSTRACT Background: Unexpected red blood cell alloantibodies can cause hemolytic transfusion reactions. In this study, the prevalence of alloimmunization, the rate of identification of alloantibodies and the rate of blood transfusion reactions among transfused patients were identified in a clinical emergency hospital in Brazil. Methods: Transfusions and clinical records of patients who had a positive indirect antiglobulin test between January and December 2013 were analyzed. Results: Of 1169 patients who received blood transfusions, 28 had positive indirect antiglobulin tests, with one patient having two positive tests at different times, resulting in 29 positive tests during the period of this study. Alloantibodies were identified in 58.6% (17/29) of the cases. In 27.5% (8/29), identification was inconclusive and it was not possible to confirm alloimmunization. The rate of red blood cell alloimmunization was 1.71% (21/1169). Of 21 cases of alloimmunization, four (19%) were unidentified due to an unusual agglutination profile. All identified alloantibodies were clinically significant (10/17 anti-Rh, 5/17 anti-Kell and 2/17 anti-MNS). In two patients who had positive indirect antiglobulin tests, one had an unidentified alloantibody, and the other had an inconclusive test and developed a hemolytic transfusion reaction. Conclusion: The prevalence of clinically important red blood cell alloantibodies and hemolytic transfusion reactions among patients with unidentified alloantibodies suggests that specific laboratory techniques should be performed to identify alloantibodies in cases of pan-reactivity or autoantibodies to improve transfusion safety.