TY - JOUR
T1 - Transmission of Neurodegenerative Disorders Through Blood Transfusion
T2 - A Cohort Study
AU - Edgren, Gustaf
AU - Hjalgrim, Henrik
AU - Rostgaard, Klaus
AU - Lambert, Paul
AU - Wikman, Agneta
AU - Norda, Rut
AU - Titlestad, Kjell-Einar
AU - Erikstrup, Christian
AU - Ullum, Henrik
AU - Melbye, Mads
AU - Busch, Michael P
AU - Nyrén, Olof
PY - 2016/9/6
Y1 - 2016/9/6
N2 - Background: The aggregation of misfolded proteins in the brain occurs in several neurodegenerative disorders. Aberrant protein aggregation is inducible in rodents and primates by intracerebral inoculation. Possible transfusion transmission of neurodegenerative diseases has important public health implications. Objective: To investigate possible transfusion transmission of neurodegenerative disorders. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Nationwide registers of transfusions in Sweden and Denmark. Participants: 1 465 845 patients who received transfusions between 1968 and 2012. Measurements: Multivariable Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios for dementia of any type, Alzheimer disease, and Parkinson disease in patients receiving blood transfusions from donors who were later diagnosed with any of these diseases versus patients who received blood from healthy donors. Whether excess occurrence of neurodegenerative disease occurred among recipients of blood from a subset of donors was also investigated. As a positive control, transmission of chronic hepatitis before and after implementation of hepatitis C virus screening was assessed. Results: Among included patients, 2.9% received a transfusion from a donor diagnosed with one of the studied neurodegenerative diseases. No evidence of transmission of any of these diseases was found, regardless of approach. The hazard ratio for dementia in recipients of blood from donors with dementia versus recipients of blood from healthy donors was 1.04 (95% CI, 0.99 to 1.09). Corresponding estimates for Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease were 0.99 (CI, 0.85 to 1.15) and 0.94 (CI, 0.78 to 1.14), respectively. Hepatitis transmission was detected before but not after implementation of hepatitis C virus screening. Limitation: Observational study design, underascertainment of the outcome, and possible insufficient statistical power. Conclusion: The data provide no evidence for the transmission of neurodegenerative diseases and suggest that if transmission does occur, it is rare.
AB - Background: The aggregation of misfolded proteins in the brain occurs in several neurodegenerative disorders. Aberrant protein aggregation is inducible in rodents and primates by intracerebral inoculation. Possible transfusion transmission of neurodegenerative diseases has important public health implications. Objective: To investigate possible transfusion transmission of neurodegenerative disorders. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Nationwide registers of transfusions in Sweden and Denmark. Participants: 1 465 845 patients who received transfusions between 1968 and 2012. Measurements: Multivariable Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios for dementia of any type, Alzheimer disease, and Parkinson disease in patients receiving blood transfusions from donors who were later diagnosed with any of these diseases versus patients who received blood from healthy donors. Whether excess occurrence of neurodegenerative disease occurred among recipients of blood from a subset of donors was also investigated. As a positive control, transmission of chronic hepatitis before and after implementation of hepatitis C virus screening was assessed. Results: Among included patients, 2.9% received a transfusion from a donor diagnosed with one of the studied neurodegenerative diseases. No evidence of transmission of any of these diseases was found, regardless of approach. The hazard ratio for dementia in recipients of blood from donors with dementia versus recipients of blood from healthy donors was 1.04 (95% CI, 0.99 to 1.09). Corresponding estimates for Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease were 0.99 (CI, 0.85 to 1.15) and 0.94 (CI, 0.78 to 1.14), respectively. Hepatitis transmission was detected before but not after implementation of hepatitis C virus screening. Limitation: Observational study design, underascertainment of the outcome, and possible insufficient statistical power. Conclusion: The data provide no evidence for the transmission of neurodegenerative diseases and suggest that if transmission does occur, it is rare.
U2 - 10.7326/M15-2421
DO - 10.7326/M15-2421
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 27368068
SN - 0003-4819
VL - 165
SP - 316
EP - 324
JO - Annals of Internal Medicine
JF - Annals of Internal Medicine
IS - 5
ER -
