Interpretation of red cell survival data for in vivo compatibility testing: a normal value study.
Short-term survival studies are sometimes required to determine the compatibility of donor red cells. The results of these studies are generally expressed as per cent survival at 60 min. The present study was undertaken to investigate the potential for more sophisticated data analytical techniques to improve sensitivity. In one group of eight healthy male volunteers, autologous red cells were labelled with 51chromium and injected immediately, while in a second group, red cells were stored for 5 d prior to injection. In both groups, eight to 10 samples were collected in the first 6 h and another 10-12 samples over the next 4 weeks. Estimation of the 60 min per cent survival was insufficiently sensitive to detect 'physiological' haemolysis following injection of 5-d-old autologous blood. Regression analysis of 6 h survival data, however, demonstrated significantly higher red cell clearance rates in these cases than in those receiving fresh cells, with a mean 24 h loss of 3.3% of activity. The upper limit for the 6 h red cell clearance rate was 1.63%/h after fresh autologous blood and 2.43%/h after 5-d-old blood. The significance of these findings is discussed and a protocol suggested for the analysis of short-term red cell survival data.
Bentley
S A
SA
Department of Pathology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27514.
Collins
M L
ML
Miller
D T
DT
D000328:Adult; D001787:Blood Group Incompatibility / Q000175:diagnosis; D001793:Blood Preservation; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous; D004905:Erythrocyte Aging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors