Journal of Blood Disorders & Transfusion

Abstract

Effectiveness of Pathogen Reduction Techniques in Fresh Blood Products for Enhancing Community Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Jingchun Gao*

Transfusions of fresh blood products are a vital part of modern medical care, but they still carry the risk of transmitting infections. To address this, Pathogen Reduction Technologies (PRTs) have been developed as an added safety layer by deactivating potential infectious agents in blood components. This systematic review and meta-analysis, conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines, examined how effectively these technologies improve transfusion safety and public health. A thorough search of PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar identified peer- reviewed, full-text studies published in English over the last decade. Eligible studies compared pathogen-reduced blood products with standard ones. Data on Transfusion-Transmitted Infections (TTIs) and Transfusion-Related Adverse Events (TRAEs) were extracted and analysed using a random-effects model in RevMan 5.4, with pooled Odds Ratios (ORs) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs). Six studies were included, covering more than five million platelet transfusions. All focused on the INTERCEPT^® system, which uses amotosalen and UVA light. The meta- analysis found a significantly lower risk of TTIs in PRT-treated platelets (OR 14.42; 95% CI 3.57-58.18; P=0.0002; I²=29%). While the overall rate of TRAEs was not significantly different (OR 1.13; 95% CI 0.80-1.60; P=0.49), subgroup analysis showed notable reductions in Allergic Reactions (ATRs), Severe Adverse Reactions (SARs), Transfusion-Associated Circulatory Overload (TACO), and Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI). These findings suggest that PRTs-particularly the INTERCEPT^® system-effectively reduce transfusion-related infection risks without compromising overall safety.

Published Date: 2025-12-15; Received Date: 2025-11-15