title: Comparison of the effects of SAG-M and whole-blood transfusions on postoperative suppression of delayed hypersensitivity.
abstract: The influence of perioperative whole-blood transfusion and transfusion with erythrocyte suspension (SAG-M blood) on postoperative depression of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) was investigated in 67 patients who underwent elective resection for colorectal cancer. Cell-mediated immunity was assessed pre- and postoperatively by skin testing with seven common delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) antigens. The postoperative skin-test response decreased more in the patients who received whole blood (15 patients) than in those who received SAG-M blood (16 patients) (60% versus 42%, p less than 0.001) and in those who did not receive a blood transfusion (36 patients) (60% versus 40%, p less than 0.001). The enhanced postoperative immunosuppression in patients who received whole-blood transfusions persisted after matching according to age, sex, height, weight, hemoglobin and serum albumin levels, duration of surgery and diagnosis. Thus, perioperative transfusion with SAG-M blood does not enhance surgically induced immunosuppression as effectively as does transfusion with whole blood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Hvidovre University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hammer
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moesgaard
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kehlet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012882:Skin Tests; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology