[Massive and multi-transfusions in polytraumatized patients: long-term serologic markers of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and AIDS].

302 out of 712 (42%) consecutive polytraumatized ICU patients received ten or more units of stored blood during primary and/or intensive care (1982 to 1987) treatment. 120 of the 197 surviving patients with an average number of transfusions of 23 (10 to 89) units were followed up after a mean interval of 70 (20 to 104) months. Mean duration of continuous post-ICU hospital stay was 17 (2 to 160) weeks, mean number of additional operative procedures was three (0 to 23). Manifest hepatitis had not occurred, all samples were negative for HIV testing. In nine samples (7.5%), anti-HBc-antibodies were positive, while HBs-antigen was negative. Ten patients (8.3%) tested positive for anti-HCV-antibodies (one combined with positive anti-HBc). The rate of serologically positive samples increased with the number of blood units given, duration of overall hospital stay and/or number of secondary surgery; all these findings failed to prove statistically significant. The rate of seropositivity for anti-HBc-antibodies corresponded well with the rate found in voluntary donors in FRG. Manifest or chronic hepatitis B was not observed. As to hepatitis C, the incidence of seropositivity for anti-HCV was found tenfold higher than in healthy blood donors in FRG. The relevance of this result remains unclear, but might indicate chronic post-transfusional hepatitis with high risk of cirrhosis. Among the patients testing positive for anti-HCV, too, acute manifest hepatitis had not occurred. Recently developed RIBA kits might improve specificity and sensitivity of anti-HCV testing. Thus, the frequency of PTH-C could decrease considerably.