What is the diagnosis for a patient developing itchiness and fever 30 minutes after starting a blood transfusion?

In the scenario described, where a patient starts experiencing itchiness and fever just 30 minutes after beginning a blood transfusion, the most likely diagnosis is a febrile non-haemolytic reaction. This type of reaction is characterized by a rise in temperature and possibly other symptoms such as chills or malaise, but it typically does not result in hemolysis of the red blood cells.

The underlying cause of febrile non-haemolytic reactions often relates to the recipient's immune response to white blood cells or cytokines present in the transfused blood component. The fever can be attributed to the release of pyrogens, which are substances that induce fever. While itchiness can occur, its presence supports a non-specific immune response, common in this type of reaction.

Other types of reactions such as acute hemolytic reactions present differently and usually involve more acute and severe symptoms along with hemolysis due to an ABO incompatibility, which would manifest as additional symptoms such as hemoglobinuria and hypotension. Allergic reactions, although they can also present with itchiness, are characterized more by hives and localized pruritus rather than systemic symptoms like fever. Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a serious condition