Importance of donor factors and whole blood processing in the storage injury of red blood cells

• Author / Creator

  Jordan, Andrew M

• Background: The processing and storage of blood components prior to transfusion are key parts of the blood banking industry. Recently, however, it has been suggested that the long term storage of red blood cells for transfusion could have detrimental clinical implications. In this study we investigate the pre-storage factors, such as donor characteristics and component processing conditions, that influence the way red blood cells change and accumulate injury during storage. Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis of large scale blood bank databases was performed to identify sources of variability within stored red cell concentrates. Prospective storage studies were designed to further assess the effects of different pre-storage variables based on the observations of the retrospective data analysis. The volume of plasma and additive solution was measured in red cell concentrates processed using different methods; red blood cells were then stored in known volumes of plasma and additive solution to assess the impact on red cell storage injury. To investigate red blood cell turnover and senescence, red blood cell size and density was measured in stored red cell concentrates from different donor groups. Results: Component processing conditions and donor factors were both found to influence the post-storage characteristics of stored red cell concentrates. Buffy-coat component processed units exhibited less storage injury than units processed using the whole blood filtration method. The influence of component processing was found to be independent of the residual plasma volume and additive solution volume. Units from female donors exhibited less storage haemolysis than units from male donors, and increasing donor age was also associated with increasing storage haemolysis. Donor sex and age were shown to influence; pre-donation haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, mean cell volume, cell density, cell haemoglobin content. Young female donors exhibited the lowest pre-donation haemoglobin concentrations, and the largest, least dense red blood cells. Conclusions: The effect of hypothermic storage on red blood cell characteristics is dependent not only on the duration of storage; but also the component manufacturing conditions the cells are exposed to, and the unique characteristics of the donor’s blood. Understanding how these variables generate definable populations of red cell products is a key step in providing the safest, most appropriate transfusion components to hospitals and patients.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Transfusion medicine
  • Storage injury
  • Blood manufacturing
  • Donor Factors

• Graduation date

  Fall 2016

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R38K7524R

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.