Effect of Initial Storage at Room Temperature on Human Red Blood Cell ATP, 2, 3-DPG, and Viability R. G . C H A P M A N , W. A. H. RETTBERG,AND S. DOUGHERTY From ihe Belle Bonfils Memorial Blood Center. Denver, Colorado
The concentrations of ATP and 2,SDPG and posttransfusion viability were measured in human red blood cells exposed for one, four and seven hours to room temperature before refrigerated storage for 21 days. No effect of room temperature storage was observed on ATP or viability. Decrease in 2,3-DPC was accelerated by room temperature exposure but the differences in 2,3DPG were small and unlikely to have a significant adverse effect on red blood cell oxygen delivery. Delays of up to seven hours in refrigeration of blood do not appear to have serious adverse effects on red blood cell viability or funrtion.
UNITSO F W H O L E BLOOD from which platelet concentrate are to be prepared cannot be refrigerated until the platelets have been separated. This delay in refrigeration will be slight if the blood units are processed at the same location as they are drawn. On the other hand, if blood is drawn on mobile operations away from the processing laboratory, delays in refrigeration may amount to several hours for units from which platelet concentrates are made. It is important to know what effects such delays can have on the other elements of the blood, especially the more labile clotting factors and metabolic constituents of the red blood cells. Burka and colleagues have reported recently that factor VIII yields in cryoprecipitate are not impaired by keeping whole blood at room temperature up to six hours.2 Shields has shown that exposure to room temperature storage for 24 hours at the end of 21 days of
Received for publication January 27, 1976; accepted June 12, 1976.
refrigerated storage does not impair red blood. cell viability.'O The effect of initial room temperature storage on red blood cell function and viability has not been reported. There is the possibility that red blood cells initially exposed to room temperature for several hours could not tolerate three subsequent weeks of refrigerated storage. We have evaluated the effect of initial room temperature exposure on red blood cell adenosine triphosphate (ATP), 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DGP), and posttransfusion viability. Materials and Methods For these studies blood from six donors selected at random was used to examine the biochemical effects. In a second experiment four informed adult subjects were used to evaluate effects on red blood cell viability. ATP and 2,3-DPG concentrations were measured enzymatically'.* and red blood cell 24-hour posttransfusion viability was measured with radiochromium using ascorbic acid (method C described in the reference).R The zero time value was determined by extrapolation using counts of blood samples obtained at 30, 60, and 180 minutes after injecting the tagged red blood cells. In all cases full units of blood were collected into C P D solution by standard blood bank techniques into standard plastic bags.* Units were agitated only when they were mixed for sampling or for transfer into satellite bags. The six units used for biochemical assays were each drawn into bags with two satellites. Blood
*Fenwal Laboratories, Deerfield, 111.
147 Transfusion Mar.-Am. 1977
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Mar.-Apr. 1977
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The concentrations of ATP and 2,SDPG and posttransfusion viability were measured in human red blood cells exposed for one, four and seven hours to room temperature before refrigerated storage for 21 days. No effect of room temperature storage was observed on ATP or viability. Decrease in 2,3-DPC was accelerated by room temperature exposure but the differences in 2,3DPG were small and unlikely to have a significant adverse effect on red blood cell oxygen delivery. Delays of up to seven hours in refrigeration of blood do not appear to have serious adverse effects on red blood cell viability or funrtion.
UNITSO F W H O L E BLOOD from which platelet concentrate are to be prepared cannot be refrigerated until the platelets have been separated. This delay in refrigeration will be slight if the blood units are processed at the same location as they are drawn. On the other hand, if blood is drawn on mobile operations away from the processing laboratory, delays in refrigeration may amount to several hours for units from which platelet concentrates are made. It is important to know what effects such delays can have on the other elements of the blood, especially the more labile clotting factors and metabolic constituents of the red blood cells. Burka and colleagues have reported recently that factor VIII yields in cryoprecipitate are not impaired by keeping whole blood at room temperature up to six hours.2 Shields has shown that exposure to room temperature storage for 24 hours at the end of 21 days of
Received for publication January 27, 1976; accepted June 12, 1976.
refrigerated storage does not impair red blood. cell viability.'O The effect of initial room temperature storage on red blood cell function and viability has not been reported. There is the possibility that red blood cells initially exposed to room temperature for several hours could not tolerate three subsequent weeks of refrigerated storage. We have evaluated the effect of initial room temperature exposure on red blood cell adenosine triphosphate (ATP), 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DGP), and posttransfusion viability. Materials and Methods For these studies blood from six donors selected at random was used to examine the biochemical effects. In a second experiment four informed adult subjects were used to evaluate effects on red blood cell viability. ATP and 2,3-DPG concentrations were measured enzymatically'.* and red blood cell 24-hour posttransfusion viability was measured with radiochromium using ascorbic acid (method C described in the reference).R The zero time value was determined by extrapolation using counts of blood samples obtained at 30, 60, and 180 minutes after injecting the tagged red blood cells. In all cases full units of blood were collected into C P D solution by standard blood bank techniques into standard plastic bags.* Units were agitated only when they were mixed for sampling or for transfer into satellite bags. The six units used for biochemical assays were each drawn into bags with two satellites. Blood
*Fenwal Laboratories, Deerfield, 111.
147 Transfusion Mar.-Am. 1977
Volume 17 Number 2
148
Transfusion
CHAPMAN ET AL.
Mar.-Apr. 1977
urn
A?P
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3
:
p
