Circulatory Overload

Description

Circulatory overload is characterized by acute respiratory distress and congestive heart failure. It may occur in patients with reduced cardiac capacity or chronic anemia following rapid or massive transfusion, although it may also occur after transfusion of even a small volume, especially in infants. Adults over 60 and infants are particularly susceptible, as are any patients with severe chronic anemia (e.g., sickle cell anemia, thalassemia) in whom low red cell mass is associated with high plasma volume.

Incidence

The incidence of circulatory overload is unknown and varies with patient population, surveillance vigilance, and whether the major sequelae (acute respiratory distress) was differentiated from TRALI.

Reported incidences vary widely and are in the range of 1 in 100 to 1 in 3000 patients transfused.