Selecting red blood cells for patients with hemoglobinopathies

Why did ICTMG develop a guideline for hemoglobinopathies?

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Red blood cell transfusions are a life-sustaining therapy for patients with β-thalassemia or sickle cell disease, but having multiple transfusions puts them at high risk for alloimmunization.  Alloimmunization is a well-documented complication of transfusion that increases the risk of delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions, complicates crossmatching and identifying compatible units, and delays provision of transfusions.

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ICTMG's recommendations can help ensure these transfusion patients receive the red cell blood product that is optimal for them.  The guideline is intended for transfusion medicine physicians as well as physicians intending to transfuse patients with hemoglobinopathies and apply to patients who require chronic or isolated red blood cell transfusion.

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The 2018 systematic review and guideline underwent a review and was updated in 2024.

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How to access the ICTMG publication

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ICTMG's 2024 updated systematic review and guideline on transfusing red blood cells for patients with hemoglobinopathies was published in British Journal of Haematology:

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• Wolf J, Blais-Normandin I, Bathla A, Keshavarz H, Chou ST, Al-Riyami AZ, et al. Red cell specifications for blood group matching in patients with haemoglobinopathies: An updated systematic review and clinical practice guideline from the International Collaboration for Transfusion Medicine Guidelines. Br J Haematol. 2024; 00: 1–15.

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• To download a pdf of the article click here: