Transfusion medicine
Transfusion medicine handbook
The Transfusion Medicine Handbook is designed to assist hospital staff and other health professionals in modern Transfusion Medicine Practice.
Transfusion Medicine Handbook
Abbreviations and Glossary
ABG |
Arterial blood gas |
ACE |
Angiotensin-converting enzyme |
ACS |
Acute coronary syndrome |
ACT |
Activated clotting time |
ADAMTS-13 |
A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13 |
ADP |
Adenosine diphosphate |
Adverse event |
Untoward occurrence associated with the collection, testing, processing, storage and distribution of blood components and fractionated products. Serious adverse events are those which may lead to death or to life-threatening, disabling or incapacitating conditions for donors/patients, or which result in, or prolong, hospitalisation or morbidity. |
Adverse reaction |
Untoward response in a donor or patient associated with the collection or transfusion of blood components and fractionated products. Serious adverse reactions are those which may lead to death or to life-threatening, disabling or incapacitating conditions or which result in, or prolong, hospitalisation or morbidity. |
AHF |
Antihaemophilic factor |
AHTR |
Acute haemolytic transfusion reaction |
AIDS |
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome |
AIHA |
Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia |
Albumex 4 |
Albumex 4 is a 4% w/v human albumin solution |
Albumex 20 |
Albumex 20 is a 20% w/v human albumin solution |
Alburex 5 NZ |
Alburex 5 NZ is a 5% w/v human albumin solution |
Alburex 20 NZ |
Alburex 20 NZ is a 20% w/v human albumin solution |
ALI |
Acute lung injury |
Allogeneic blood |
Collected from one individual and intended for use by another individual (as in allogeneic blood donation). |
ANH |
Acute normovolaemic haemodilution |
Anti-HBs |
Antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The presence of anti-HBs is generally interpreted as indicating recovery and immunity from hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Anti-HBs also develops in a person who has been successfully vaccinated against hepatitis B. |
ANZSBT |
Australian and New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion |
APTT |
Activated partial thromboplastin time |
ARC Lifeblood |
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood |
ARDS |
Adult respiratory distress syndrome |
ASH |
American Society of Hematology |
ASTH |
Australasian Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis |
ATG |
Anti-thymocyte globulin |
Autologous blood |
Collected from an individual and intended for their own use (as in autologous blood donation, which is generally not supported by NZBS). |
ATIII |
Antithrombin III |
BCSH |
The British Committee for Standards in Haematology |
B19/HAV |
Parvovirus B19 and Hepatitis A virus |
Berinert |
Berinert is a C1-esterase inhibitor concentrate |
Berirab |
Rabies Immunoglobulin |
Biostate |
A high purity, sterile, freeze-dried powder containing purified human coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) and human von Willebrand factor (vWF) complex. |
BSH |
British Society of Haematology |
Blood component |
A therapeutic constituent separated from human blood (red cells, platelets, fresh frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate and white cells). |
Blood (fractionated) product |
A therapeutic protein fraction prepared from large pools of human plasma under pharmaceutical conditions, e.g., coagulation factors, albumin, immunoglobulins. |
BMI |
Body mass index |
BMS |
Blood management system |
BNP |
B-type natriuretic peptide |
BU |
Bethesda unit |
Ceprotin |
Ceprotin is a sterile freeze-dried powder of purified human protein C. |
CHAD |
Cold haemagglutinin disease |
CMO |
Chief Medical Officer |
CMV |
Cytomegalovirus is a member of the herpesvirus family, transmissible by transfusion, and which may cause disease in immunosuppressed patients. |
CNS |
Central nervous system |
CoE |
Council of Europe |
CPAP |
Continuous positive airways pressure |
CPD / CPDA |
Citrate phosphate dextrose and citrate phosphate dextrose adenine anticoagulant solutions used when collecting blood donations. |
CSL |
Compound sodium lactate |
CSL Behring |
A manufacturer of plasma therapies whose name derives from the merger of several parent companies including CSL (Commonwealth Serum Laboratories) Limited and ZLB Behring. |
CVP |
Central venous pressure |
DAT |
Direct antiglobulin (Coombs) test |
DDAVP |
1-desamino-8-d-arginine vasopressin (Desmopressin) |
DHTR |
Delayed haemolytic transfusion reaction |
DIC |
Disseminated intravascular coagulation |
DNA |
Deoxyribonucleic acid |
DOAC |
Direct Oral Anti-Coagulant |
DSTR |
Delayed serologic transfusion reaction |
ECG |
Electrocardiogram |
ECMO |
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation |
EDTA |
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid |
eGFR |
Estimated glomerular filtration rate |
EPO |
Erythropoietin |
FBC |
Full blood count |
FEIBA |
Factor VIII inhibitor bypassing activity |
FEIBA NF |
FEIBA NF is a sterile freeze-dried powder of human plasma fraction with factor VIII inhibitor bypassing activity. |
FFP |
Fresh frozen plasma |
Fibrogammin |
Fibrogammin is a freeze-dried powder of purified human factor XIII |
FIX |
Factor IX |
FMH |
Fetomaternal haemorrhage |
FNAIT |
Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia |
FNHTR |
Febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reaction |
Fractionated product |
A therapeutic protein fraction prepared from large pools of human plasma under pharmaceutical conditions, e.g., coagulation factors, albumin, immunoglobulins. |
FVIII |
Factor VIII |
FXIII |
Factor XIII |
Gamunex 10% |
10% Human Normal Immunoglobulin |
G-CSF |
Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor |
GP |
Glycoprotein |
GvHD |
Graft-versus-host-disease |
HAE |
Hereditary angioedema |
HBsAg |
Hepatitis B surface antigen; a serologic marker on the surface of hepatitis B virus (HBV). It can be detected in high levels in serum during acute or chronic hepatitis. The presence of HBsAg indicates that a person is infectious. |
HBV |
Hepatitis B virus |
HCT |
Haematopoietic cell transplant |
HCV |
Hepatitis C virus |
HDFN |
Haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn |
HES |
Hydroxyethyl starch |
HFE |
High Iron Fe gene; mutations of HFE are responsible for genetic haemachromatosis. |
Hizentra |
20% Human Normal Immunoglobulin |
Hizentra NZ |
20% Human Normal Immunoglobulin |
HLA |
Human leucocyte antigen |
HPA |
Human platelet antigen |
HPC |
Haematopoietic progenitor cell |
HIT |
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia |
HIV |
Human immunodeficiency virus |
HSCT |
Haematopoietic stem cell transplant |
HTC |
Hospital transfusion committee |
HTLV |
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus |
HUS |
Haemolytic uraemic syndrome |
HyperHEP B |
Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (Human). |
ICH |
Intracranial haemorrhage |
IgA |
Immunoglobulin A |
IgG |
Immunoglobulin G |
IgM |
Immunoglobulin M |
INR |
International normalised ratio |
ITP |
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura |
IVIg |
Intravenous immunoglobulin |
IU |
International units |
IUT |
Intrauterine transfusion |
JVP |
Jugular venous pressure |
Kybernin P |
Antithrombin III product. |
LDH |
Lactate dehydrogenase |
MBOS |
Maximum blood order schedule |
MHP |
Massive haemorrhage pathway |
MTP |
Massive transfusion protocol |
MO |
Medical Officer |
NAIT |
Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia |
NBA |
Australian National Blood Authority |
NHI |
National Health Index |
NHMRC |
National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia |
NSAID |
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug |
NZBS |
New Zealand Blood Service |
NZRC |
New Zealand Resuscitation Council |
PAS |
Platelet additive solution; nutrient media used in place of plasma for platelet storage. |
PBSC |
Peripheral blood stem cell |
PCC |
Prothrombin complex concentrate |
PCI |
Percutaneous coronary intervention |
PHARMAC |
Pharmaceutical Management Agency of the New Zealand Government |
PID |
Primary immunodeficiency diseases |
PLT |
Single therapeutic dose of platelets |
Privigen |
10% Human Normal Immunoglobulin |
Privigen NZ |
10% Human Normal Immunoglobulin |
Prothombinex-VF |
Prothrombinex-VF is a sterile freeze-dried powder containing purified human coagulation factors II, IX and X and low levels of factors V and VII. |
PT |
Prothrombin time |
PTP |
Post-transfusion purpura |
RAADP |
Routine antenatal anti-D prophylaxis |
RANZCOG |
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists |
RCNA |
Royal College of Nursing of Australia |
RCo |
Ristocetin cofactor |
Resuspended red cells |
Red cells from which the majority of plasma has been removed and replaced with a nutrient or preservative solution, e.g., saline, adenine, glucose, mannitol (SAG-M) |
RhD |
Rhesus factor or RhD red cell antigen |
RiaSTAP |
RiaSTAP is a sterile freeze-dried fibrinogen (coagulation factor I) concentrate derived from human plasma. |
Rhophylac |
Rhophylac is an Rh(D) Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human). |
RNA |
Ribonucleic acid |
SCIg |
Subcutaneous immunoglobulin |
SED |
Serum eye drops |
SHOT |
Serious Hazards of Transfusion; UK haemovigilance programme. |
TACO |
Transfusion-associated circulatory overload |
TAD |
Transfusion-associated dyspnoea |
TA-GvHD |
Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host-disease |
TMS |
Transfusion Medicine Specialist |
TNS |
Transfusion Nurse Specialist |
TPE |
Therapeutic plasma exchange |
TPO |
Thrombopoietin |
TPR |
Temperature/Pulse/Respiratory rate |
TRAE |
Transfusion-related adverse event |
TRALI |
Transfusion-related acute lung injury |
TRIM |
Transfusion-related immunomodulation |
TTI |
Transfusion-transmitted infection |
TTP |
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura |
vCJD |
Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease |
vWF |
von Willebrand factor |
vWD |
von Willebrand disease |
VZV |
Varicella zoster virus |
Whole blood |
Blood collected from a donor prior to separation into constituent red cells, platelets and plasma. |
WBCT |
Whole blood clotting time |
WBIT |
Wrong blood in tube |
WHO |
World Health Organization |
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Last updated: September 2025. Previously part of 111G122 – Transfusion Medicine Handbook 3rd Edition
NZBS Reference: 111G01503