New RBC treatment may reduce transfusion side effects

Editor's Note

Pretreating red blood cells (RBCs) with nitric oxide may reduce the risk of pulmonary hypertension, a dangerous side effect of transfusions, finds this study.

The Food and Drug Administration allows transfusion of RBCs that have been stored for 42 days. However, recent studies suggest that transfusion of RBCs that have been stored for more than 30 days may lead to pulmonary hypertension and reduced survival of transfused RBCs.

For the study, RBCs were taken from lambs, stored for 40 days, and then exposed to nitric oxide. One group of lambs received treated RBCs, and the other group received untreated RBCs. Transfusing untreated RBCs nearly doubled the constriction of blood vessels in the lungs, compared to treated RBCs. Treatment with nitric oxide also increased the survival of RBCs after transfusion.

Further studies with transfused human RBCs are needed to confirm the findings, the researchers say.

Abstract Background: Transfusion of packed erythrocytes stored for a long duration is associated with increased pulmonary arterial pressure and vascular resistance. Prolonged storage decreases erythrocyte deformability, and older erythrocytes are rapidly removed from the circulation after transfusion. The authors studied whether treating stored packed ovine ...