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Does prolonged storage of red blood cells cause harm?

Does prolonged storage of red blood cells cause harm?

Authors :
Flegel WA
Natanson C
Klein HG
Source :
British journal of haematology [Br J Haematol] 2014 Apr; Vol. 165 (1), pp. 3-16. Date of Electronic Publication: 2014 Jan 25.
Publication Year :
2014

Abstract

Red blood cells (RBCs) degrade progressively during the weeks of refrigerated storage. No universally accepted definition of 'fresh' or 'old' RBCs exists. While practices vary from country to country, preservative solutions permitting shelf life as long as 7 weeks have been licenced. Transfusion of stored RBCs, particularly those at the end of the approved shelf life, has been implicated in adverse clinical outcomes. The results of observational analyses, animal models and studies in volunteers have proved provocative, controversial and contradictory. A recently completed randomized controlled trial (RCT) in premature infants exemplifies the difficulties with moderately sized clinical studies. Several other RCTs are in progress. The effect of RBC storage may well vary according to the clinical setting. Resolution of the importance of the storage lesion may require large pragmatic clinical trials. In the meantime, institutions involved in blood collection and transfusion should explore strategies that assure blood availability, while limiting the use of the oldest RBCs currently approved by regulation.<br /> (Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1365-2141
Volume :
165
Issue :
1
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
British journal of haematology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
24460532
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/bjh.12747