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Caitlin Raymond: The Five “Can’t-Miss” Transfusion Reactions
Caitlin R./LinkedIn
Oct 30, 2025, 06:55

Caitlin Raymond: The Five “Can’t-Miss” Transfusion Reactions

Caitlin Raymond, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Transfusion Medicine at University of Wisconsin-Madison, shared on LinkedIn:

”The Five “Can’t-Miss” Transfusion Reactions
When a transfusion reaction call comes in, there are five life-threatening diagnoses you can’t afford to miss.

Four share the same pattern — fever, hypotension, ± respiratory distress. The fifth looks different, but can end the same way if missed.

I put together a quick, practical post on how to triage these in real time — what to look for, what to ask, and which labs or interventions matter most.

Read the full post on Blood, Bytes, and Beyond

TL;DR:

  1. Anaphylaxis — ask if they gave epinephrine.
  2. Septic reaction — ask if they sent cultures and started antibiotics.
  3. TRALI — ask if O₂ needs went up and get a CXR.
  4. AHTR — send DAT and haptoglobin.
  5. TACO — ask if they gave diuretics and whether there was a response.

Each of these can kill a patient within minutes or hours — but each has a tell.

Train your reflexes for the right questions.”

Caitlin Raymond

Stay updated with Hemostasis Today.

AHTR Anaphylaxis Blood Caitlin Raymond Epinephrine Health Hematology Hemostasis Today Medicine Respiratory Distress Septic Reaction TACO TRALI transfusion Transfusion Reactions
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