A group A patient needs blood and FFP. The hospital is out of A blood and A FFP. Which would be your first choice to transfuse to this patient?

A group A patient needs blood and FFP. The hospital is out of A blood and A FFP. Which would be your first choice to transfuse to this patient?

• A. RBC-O; plasma-AB
• B. RBC-A; plasma-A
• C. RBC-B; plasma-AB
• D. RBC-AB; plasma-AB

Answer: (A)

Understanding ABO compatibility for both red cells and plasma is key. A patient with type A has anti-B antibodies in their plasma, so giving red cells with B antigen would risk hemolysis, and even red cells with both A and B antigens are problematic because the recipient’s antibodies can react with donor antigens. For red blood cells, the safest choice when A is unavailable is cells from a group O donor. They lack both A and B antigens, so they won’t be targeted by the patient’s anti-B antibodies. For plasma transfusion, you want donor plasma that doesn’t contain antibodies against the recipient’s RBC antigens. Plasma from a group AB donor has no anti-A or anti-B antibodies, making it compatible with any ABO type and the safest universal option for plasma. So the best first choice is: red cells from a group O donor and plasma from a group AB donor.

Understanding ABO compatibility for both red cells and plasma is key. A patient with type A has anti-B antibodies in their plasma, so giving red cells with B antigen would risk hemolysis, and even red cells with both A and B antigens are problematic because the recipient’s antibodies can react with donor antigens.

For red blood cells, the safest choice when A is unavailable is cells from a group O donor. They lack both A and B antigens, so they won’t be targeted by the patient’s anti-B antibodies.

For plasma transfusion, you want donor plasma that doesn’t contain antibodies against the recipient’s RBC antigens. Plasma from a group AB donor has no anti-A or anti-B antibodies, making it compatible with any ABO type and the safest universal option for plasma.

So the best first choice is: red cells from a group O donor and plasma from a group AB donor.